Farmers plan another 'historic' Bharat Bandh; Farmers-govt deadlock persists amid polls

With no resolution in sight despite four months of protests and 11 rounds of failed talks with the government, the Samkyukta Kisan Morcha has called another 'Bharat Bandh' on Friday in the middle of the ongoing assembly poll campaign in four states.

After joining the nationwide strike of central trade unions on November 26 last year, the farmer bodies had held a Bharat Bandh on December 8 last year.

The Republic Day march of farmers on January 26 had kicked up a huge controversy after a group of protesting farmers had marched to Red Fort and hoisted a religious flag there.

Read | Why Modi can afford protracted discord with farmers

Farmers later also took their protests to poll-bound states. This time, the four poll-bound states — West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Assam and the Union Territory Puducherry — have been kept out of the nationwide shut down on March 26. This comes even as farmer unions had earlier held protests in poll-bound states, more elaborately in crucial West Bengal, where BJP is trying hard to stop a hattrick to power by Mamata Banerjee-led TMC.

The 6 AM to 6 PM shutdown is likely to affect transport services, both rail and road, and hamper the functioning of commercial establishments.

Ambulance, school buses, vehicles of Armed forces, foreign tourists and those engaged in essential services as well as food supply will be exempt from the bandh restrictions.

In a press statement, the Morcha said that the Bandh will be “historic” and it will be backed by trader bodies, trade unions, bus unions and railway unions. Confederation of All India Traders, however, said that markets will remain open on March 26 and that it was not participating in the Bandh.

Also Read | Centre must answer for 'insult' of 'martyrdom' of farmers protesting at Delhi borders: Rahul Gandhi

Farmers mainly from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh have been protesting at the Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders of Delhi, seeking a complete rollback of the three farm laws passed by the Centre and a legal guarantee for the minimum support price on their crops.

After making an offer to suspend the farm laws for 12-18 months, the government has stiffened its stand as the offer was rejected by the farmer unions.

Insisting that the Centre must withdraw the three contentious farms laws, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday, however, said the agitating farmers are prepared for a long haul and will relent only when their demands are met. After the enactment of the farm laws in September last year, the NDA government lost its time-tested ally Shiromani Akali Dal, whose base is among farmers in Punjab, where Assembly polls are due next year.