On December 6, Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, had announced his party’s support for the call of ‘Bharat Bandh’ by farmers’ unions. His MLAs had posted tweets that the mandis and markets in Delhi will remain closed on Tuesday to show solidarity to the farmers. However, the whole movement has flopped in Delhi. The vegetable mandis opened as per the schedule, and the business is as usual with minor hiccups that were expected.
Mandi chairman’s statement and the reaction
AAP leader and Azadpur Mandi chairman Adil Khan had issued a video statement. He said that the shopkeepers in Mandi had decided not to open their shops on Tuesday to support ‘Bharat Bandh.’ He also claimed that it was a historic decision. However, on Tuesday morning, his claims were proven to be a fluke as the business started in the Mandi at its usual pace.
किसानों के भारत बन्द के समर्थन में दिल्ली की मंडियां। भारत बंद के दौरान कल दिल्ली की सभी बड़ी मंडिया बंद रहेगी। आजादपुर , ओखला और गाजीपुर जैसी सब्जी मंडियों में कल कोई काम और कारोबार नहीं होगा। आजादपुर मंडी के चेयरमैन @AdilKhanAAP ने दी जानकारी।#भारत_बंद pic.twitter.com/JLt5M3LEIj
— Kuldeep Sharma (@kuldeepsharma98) December 7, 2020
Neelkant Bakshi, BJP Karyakarta, had shared a video of Okhla Mandi. He said, “despite all the efforts of AAP appointed chairman Aadil Khan, the business in the mandi is in progress at its full pace. A lot of produce has arrived in the mandi.”
ओखला मंडी पूर्ण रूप से खुली @AamAadmiParty appointed चेयरमैन आदिलजी ने बड़ा जोर लगाया कि यहां तो उनकी चल जाएगी लेकिन कुछ ना हुआ मंडी खुली और माल भरमार ओखला मंडी thanks 🙏 @amitmalviya @ManojTiwariMP @blsanthosh @nstomar @PiyushGoyal @AmitShah @JPNadda @narendramodi 🙏 https://t.co/dYPA1cnhTJ pic.twitter.com/Tql6MnpHBh
— Neelkant Bakshi (@neelkantbakshi) December 8, 2020
In another Tweet, Bakshi shared a video in which Anil Malhotra from Azadpur Mandi said, “the Mandi chairman is lying that the Mandis will remain closed. The mandis are open, and the business is as usual. The farmers’ produce will be sold in the mandis.” Bakshi added in the tweet that around 20 trucks of tomato, 50 trucks of potato, and over 200 trucks of fresh vegetables have reached Azadpur Mandi today.”
दिल्ली की आजादपुर मंडी में टमाटर की 18 से 20 गाड़ी आई है आलू की 50 गाड़ियां आई है और green सब्जियों की भी 200 गाड़ी से ऊपर आई हैं आज.. #FarmActsGameChanger और देख लो भाई लोग #BharatBandhNahiHoga @amitmalviya @ManojTiwariMP @blsanthosh @AmitShah @JPNadda @narendramodi 🙏 pic.twitter.com/KeccVZp2fr
— Neelkant Bakshi (@neelkantbakshi) December 8, 2020
Statements of AAP leaders
Gopal Rai, Delhi Minister, had said on December 6, “Aam Aadmi Party’s convenor & Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Ji has urged party officials & workers to support farmers-led #BharatBandh on December 8. Ours is an agrarian country, I would also urge the people to show their support as well.”
Aam Aadmi Party’s convenor & Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Ji has urged party officials & workers to support farmers-led #BharatBandh on December 8. Ours is an agrarian country, I would also urge the people to show their support as well: Gopal Rai, Delhi minister pic.twitter.com/L4UH63N4B4
— TOI Delhi (@TOIDelhi) December 6, 2020
On December 7, AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan tweeted in Support of Bharat Bandh and said, “We are in full support of our farmers’ call for Bharat Bandh on December 8. I appeal to the people of Okhla and Delhi to close their shops and businesses to support the farmers.”
कल 8 दिसंबर को किसान भाइयों के बुलाए गए भारत बंद में हमारा पूरा समर्थन है मेरी ओखला और दिल्ली की आवाम से अपील है कि कल सभी लोग अपनी दुकानें और कारोबार बंद रखें और किसान भाइयों का समर्थन करें।
— Amanatullah Khan AAP (@KhanAmanatullah) December 7, 2020
Farmers’ protest and talks with Central Government
A large number of farmer leaders under different unions are in Delhi to mark their protest against the recently passed Agriculture Laws. They are demanding that the central government must repeal these laws.
Most of the agitating farmers are from Punjab. Contrary to the lies peddled by the opposition, the new laws have ample security for the farmers and provide legal remedies to the farmers in case of non-payment or delayed payment along with several other benefits.
Opportunist protesters like Medha Patkar, Yogendra Yadav, and several others have jumped in the protests. There are reports that Khalistanis are trying to take over the protests and use them for their own agenda. The farmers’ unions led by Yogendra Yadav had called for Bharat Bandh on December 8, but it seemed to have failed in Delhi.
The central government has been trying to communicate with farmers for the last several weeks, but the farmers’ unions were not ready to listen. Since they arrived in Delhi, several rounds of talks have already been completed, and the next round is scheduled for December 9.