Farmers Movement Archive

Bharat Bandh will delay economic recovery: Basavaraj Bommai

HUBBALLI/MYSURU: Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday appealed to farmers and left organisations not to support the Bharat Bandh on Monday as it will hamper the government’s efforts towards early recovery of the economy from the pandemic crisis. “Life is just getting back to normal in the state after being affected by the second wave of Covid-19. It’s not the time to hold a bandh when people are suffering from Covid. It will only delay the economic recovery,” Bommai said. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of over 40 farm unions leading the farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws, has called for the nationwide strike on September 27, the day their ongoing protest completes 10 months. This is the second such bandh call given by SKM against the implementation of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Farmers’ organisations, labour unions affiliated to various left parties and Dalit organisations are participating in the bandh. Only emergency services like ambulances and milk supply, medical services will be spared. Earlier in the day, some organisations in Mysuru made an appeal seeking support from the public for the bandh call even as representatives of some business communities, including hotel owners, opposed it. “We are still struggling to come out of the impact of Covid. We had no business for over seven months. This bandh call will further affect us. We’re working closely with farmers by buying vegetables, milk, etc. We will not extend support to this bandh,” said C Narayana Gowda, president of Mysuru District Hotel Owners’ Association. “It will affect thousands of families. So, we’re extending only external support to the bandh,’’ said BS Prashant, chairman, Federation of Mysuru Organisations.

The Times of India

2021-09-26

Hubballi