Bharat Bandh: Farmers are holding a nationwide protest against three farm laws
New Delhi:
Rail and road traffic across the country may get affected today as farmers, protesting against three contentious agricultural laws, hold an all-India strike – Bharat Bandh – to mark four months of their agitation at Delhi’s borders.
This morning, farmers protesting near one of three protest epicentres in the national capital near the Ghazipur border blocked National Highway-9 as they joined the Bharat Bandh strike.
In a video message, SKM leader Darshan Pal said that supplies of vegetables and milk will also stopped by the protesting farmers.
The Samkyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of protesting unions, appealed to protesting farmers to be peaceful and not get involved in any kind of illegitimate debate and conflict during the ”bandh”.
Policemen have set up barricades to block the movement of protesters.
The all-India strike, which began at 6 AM, will continue till 6 PM, farmers’ body Samyukt Kisaan Morcha said, adding that the ”bandh” will also be observed in the national capital.
“Farmers will block rail tracks in various places. Markets and transport services will be closed during ”Bharat Bandh” senior farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal had earlier told news agency PTI.
However, the Confederation of All India Traders, which claimed representation of eight crore traders in the the country, said that markets will remain open on March 26 as it is not participating in the ”Bharat Bandh”, PTI reported.
The farmers’ protest at the Delhi borders started on November 26 at three epicentres- Singhu border, Ghazipur and Tikri. Despite several rounds of consultations, the government and the farmers’ bodies have failed to reach a consensus on
On January 26, as the protest completed two months, the farmers had held a tractor rally which had ended in violence as the protesters over-ran the iconic Mughal-era Red Fort.
(With inputs from PTI)