Bharat Bandh LIVE Updates | Govt has made our 'annadaata' a puppet through its 'fund daata': Tejashwi Yadav

Farmers across the country are going on a strike today and have announced a ‘Bharat Bandh’ to register their protest against three farm bills that were passed in the Parliament in the Monsoon Session.

The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill were passed by the Parliament earlier this week.

The farmers said they would continue their fight till the three farm bills were revoked.

The protesters have expressed apprehensions that the Centre's farm reforms would pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system and they would be at the "mercy" of big corporates.

On September 24, farmers started a three-day rail blockade against the bills and squatted on railway tracks at many places in Punjab. The farmer groups have also decided to go for an indefinite rail blockade from October 1.

Ahead of the protest, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has appealed to the farmers to maintain law and order, and adhere to all coronavirus-safety protocols during the strike.

Bihar: RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) workers protest in Darbhanga, against #FarmBills, while riding buffaloes. pic.twitter.com/cKA2wpXa6B

— ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2020

10.00 am: The government has made our 'annadaata' a puppet through its 'fund daata'. Farm bills are anti-farmer and have left them dejected. The government had said that they'll double farmers' income by 2022 but these bills will make them poorer. The agriculture sector has been corporatised, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav told news agency ANI.

9.50 am: Police personnel deployed in Amritsar city in the wake of farmers protest today, against farm bills passed in the Monsson Session of the Parliament. ACP told news agency ANI, "Security forces have been deployed at every crossroad and level crossing in the entire city so that no untoward incident takes place."

9.30 am: Police personnel being deployed around Ladowal Toll Plaza in Ludhiana, in the wake of the nationwide protest by farmers today, over farm bills. SHO Ladowal told news agency ANI, "All preparations made, additional forces deployed. Farmer leaders have assured us that protest will be peaceful."