Farmers' protest | India observes Bharat Bandh as stalemate continues over farm laws; here are the highlights of the day

The protesting farmers fear the new laws will pave the way for eliminating the safety of the MSP cushion

Farmers took the centre-stage on December 8 as their call for a Bharat Bandh to push for a repeal of the new farm laws disrupted life in some states, while things continued unimpeded in other parts of the country.

The protesting farmers fear the new laws will pave the way for eliminating the safety of the Minimum Support Price cushion and do away with 'mandis', leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

The government maintains the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.

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Here are some of the highlights of the day:

>> As the day wound to a mostly peaceful close, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stepped in to call farmer leaders for talks, ahead of the sixth round of talks between Central ministers and farmer representatives on December 9.

>> Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav claimed it was observed in around 10,000 places in 25 states.

>> Emergency services were exempted and banks, too, continued operations as the pan-India shutdown, backed by most opposition parties and trade unions, rolled out noisily but peacefully with its impact felt in Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi - the epicentre of the snowballing protests - as well as in states such as Odisha, Maharashtra, and Bihar.

>> Social media was abuzz with messages of solidarity with the agitating farmers on Bharat Bandh day as netizens made ploughs, tractors, crops, and 'Kisan' trend on Twitter in support of the protesters' demands.

>> The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was put under house arrest "ever since he visited farmers at Singhu Border on December 7". The Delhi Police, however, denied the claim and said it is a "general deployment" to avoid "any clash between the AAP and any other party".

>> The Mumbai Dabbawala Association extended its support for the Bharat Bandh call given by farmers against three farm laws enacted by the Centre in September.