Farmers raise slogans during their agitation against the Central farm laws at the Singhu border in Delhi on Monday. PTI

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 7

Various unions of government employees, lawyers, commission agents, transporters, besides others, have announced their support to farmers and decided to participate in the Bharat Bandh tomorrow.

Docs to hold rallies

To express solidarity with farmers, the PCMS Doctors’ Association announced holding gate rallies on Tuesday. In a press release, the association said the struggle had become a pan-India movement as every section of society would be affected if the agriculture sector suffered

‘Stir must be peaceful’

The Dal Khalsa has appealed to the people of Punjab to observe a peaceful shutdown on Tuesday in view of the Bharat Bandh call given by farm organisations to protest against the government’s refusal to withdraw the three contentious farm laws

Lakhs of state government employees have decided to go on mass casual leave while the SGPC has announced that all its institutions will remain closed for the day. The farm unions themselves are going to organise dharnas at around 60 places in the state, besides blocking all rail traffic from noon to 4 pm tomorrow.

Karanjit Singh of Habibke village in Ferozepur said everyone knew it was a do-or-die situation for farmers. “It is important to have huge numbers at protest sites. So everyone is a part of the struggle, contributing in their own way.”

In Bathinda, people from various walks of life have extended support to farmers, who are on a warpath against the three farm laws and are staging protests in Delhi.

Organisations such as the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, Punjab Petroleum Dealers’ Association, Malwa Zone Private Bus Operators, Punjab Nambardar Union, Punjab Swarankar Sangh, Sarafa Association, Bathinda, Guest Faculty Association, various teachers’ unions, Fruit and Vegetable Vendors’ Association and many others have announced support to farmers for their bandh call.

A meeting of the state executive committee of the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal was held in which it asked the Union Government to resolve the farmers’ issue at the earliest. It urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the laws. It said on the one hand, the government talked about calling the farmers to the next meeting and on the other, it was deploying more policemen at the borders of Delhi, which was creating tension.The Sarafa Association, Bathinda, also supported the bandh call given by farmers.

Darevjeet Thakur, president, Sarafa Association, Bathinda, said, “Farmers are staging protests in Delhi demanding rollback of the laws, so we decided to stand by them.” In Fazilka, traders have pledged support the farmers’ agitation. A meeting of the Beopar Mandal, Fazilka, was held here today under the chairmanship of its president Ashok Gulbadhar. The traders unanimously decided to observe a complete strike on Tuesday to express solidarity with the agitating farmers.

Gulbadhar said the farmers had been passing through the worst-ever crisis and it was the duty of the traders to stand by them. He said the chemists, however, would be allowed to open their shops after 1 pm on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Punjab State Districts Offices Employees’ Union, comprising employees working in offices of DCs, SDMs, tehsils and sub-tehsils, will take one-day mass leave in support of the Bharat Bandh call given by farmers. Om Parkash, chairman of the union, in a letter to the Prime Minister, sought repealing of the three Central laws.