New Delhi: Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the umbrella body of over 40 farm unions leading the farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s three farm laws, has given call for a nationwide strike — Bharat Bandh — on Tuesday, September 27, to mark the 10 months of their ongoing protest. Following a two-day national convention at the Singhu border last month, the SKM had called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ and it had on Thursday appealed to the people to join the bandh.
Many opposition parties, including Congress and AAP have expressed their support to the bandh call given by the protesting farmers. While Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi has supported the bandh, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav has announced that he will participate in the nationwide strike. The Bharatiya Kisan Union has welcomed Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s support to the farmers’ stir but maintained that their stage will not be shared with any political party.
Here’s all you need to know about the SKM’s Bharat Bandh on Tuesday, September 24:
Timings of bandh
The bandh will be held from 6 AM to 4 PM during which all government and private offices, educational and other institutions, shops, industries and commercial establishments as well as public events and functions will be closed throughout the country. However, all emergency establishments and essential services, including hospitals, medical stores, relief and rescue work and people attending to personal emergencies will be exempted. The bandh will be enforced in a voluntary and peaceful manner, the SKM has assured.
Bank officers’ union extends support to ‘Bharat Bandh’
The All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AlBOC) has extended its support to the bandh on Monday. It has requested the government to have dialogue with the farmers on their demands and rescind the three laws at the centre of standoff.
Tejashwi Yadav to take part
Former Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has also extended his support to farmers’ call for Bharat Bandh on September 27. In a tweet, Tejashwi Yadav on Friday said that in the meeting of the top leaders of the grand alliance parties held at the residence, it was unanimously decided to participate and support the Bharat Bandh called on September 27, “in protest against the anti-farmer policies of the NDA government. We are firm with the farmers”.
Kerala: Ruling LDF calls for hartal
Kerala’s ruling LDF has also called for a state-wide hartal on 27 September to express solidarity with the farmers. This call was announced by LDF convenor and CPI(M) acting secretary A Vijayaraghavan after the meeting of the leaders of the ruling party alliance in Thiruvananthapuram. Speaking to media, Vijayaraghavan said five lakh people will participate in the protest. He claimed that over 100 organisations including motor transport workers, bank employees and farmers organisations have extended their support to the LDF agitation.
Adequate security measures to be taken: Delhi Police
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Saturday said adequate security arrangements will be made across the borders of the national capital in view of the ‘Bharat Bandh’. A senior police officer said in view of bandh, adequate security arrangements will be made to maintain the law an order situation in the national capital on Monday. No protestor will be allowed to enter Delhi from the three protest sites at the city’s borders, the official said.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Haryana, Punjab and Western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting since November 26 last year against the three enacted farm laws: 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.
(With inputs from agencies)
