Trains blocked by the Left supporters at Jadavpur Railways Station during the nationwide strike called by farmers. (Express photo by Partha Paul)Bharat Bandh, Farmers Protest Today Live News Updates: Security has been heightened at key protest sites on Delhi’s borders as farmer unions begin their symbolic ‘Bharat Bandh’ agitation Tuesday against the Centre’s three farm laws. The bandh, which has been backed by around 15 Opposition parties and several trade unions, comes a day before the sixth round of talks between the government and the farmers.
The farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, will block key roads during their ‘chakka jam’ protest from 11 am to 3 pm today. They have been protesting at Singhu border, the epicentre of the protests, for the last 12 days.
The Centre has asked all states and Union Territories to tighten security and ensure that peace and tranquility is maintained during the ‘Bharat Bandh’. In a countrywide advisory, the Union Home Ministry also said administrations must ensure Covid-19 guidelines are issued, and health and social distancing are strictly followed.
The Delhi Police will deploy personnel “outside offices of all political parties, the Agriculture Minister’s residence and Krishi Bhawan” to ensure law and order is maintained. On Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with his cabinet colleagues, met farmers at the Singhu border where he reviewed arrangements at the protest site. The AAP, along with 14 other Opposition parties have extended support to the December 8 Bharat Bandh call by the farmers.
A child dressed as Nihang at the farmers protest site in New Delhi on Monday. (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)
Protesters in Haryana and Punjab have intensified their agitation in support of farmers' call for Bharat Bandh. Here are the latest developments:
- Haryana farmers start moving to roads in some parts of the state particularly in Fatehabad, Jind and Hisar. Some link roads blocked. Authorities discontinue bus services to some routes from Jind
- With their hookahs, farmers sit on dharma on Hisar-Jind national highway near Ikkas village to block the highway
- Markets closed in Jind town
- Jind- Kaithal road blocked. Yamunanagar- Chandigarh highway blocked near Yamunanagar
- Haryana roadways employees observe "chakka jam" in support of farmers in many places
Congress supporters burn tyres near Fategunj post office in support of Bharat Bandh. Police intervened and detained the protestors. (Express Photo By Bhupendra Rana)
Farmers in Tumakuru district held a protest demanding that the recent farm reforms Acts be scrapped both at the Centre and the state. The state government has introduced amendments to Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1961, and Karnataka APMC Act, 1966.
In West Bengal's North 24 Parganas, members of the Left play football on a road in Madhyamgram Chowmatha.
Employees go back after shutting a bank during Bharat Bandh at Barewal road in Ludhiana. (Express photo by Gurmeet Singh)
Left political parties and Students' Federation of India (SFI) protest at NH 16 in Visakhapatnam in support of Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut: "It's no political Bandh. It's our sentiment. Farmer organisations agitating in Delhi aren't carrying any political flag. It's our duty to stand in unity with farmers and stay connected to their sentiments. There is no politics here and there shouldn't be."
"If the government has a heart, be it the Home Minister or the Prime Minister, they themselves will go and talk to them (farmers)." (ANI)
Aam Aadmi Party alleges that Delhi police have put CM Arvind Kejriwal under "house arrest" and no one has been allowed to enter or leave his house since yesterday evening.
MCD mayors have been camping outside the CM house since yesterday, demanding release of funds they say the government owes them.
Ahead of the bandh, the Delhi Police deployed personnel “outside offices of all political parties, the Agriculture Minister’s residence and Krishi Bhawan” to ensure law and order is maintained. “Delhi Police has made adequate arrangements to ensure normal movement of people on roads for the proposed bandh. Anybody who tries to disrupt normal movement/life or forcefully closes shops will be strongly dealt with, as per law,” Delhi Police additional PRO Anil Mittal had said.
Protestors raise slogans during a march in Ranchi in support of Bharat Bandh today.
Social activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday sat on a day-long hunger strike to support agitating farmers who have called Bharat Bandh demanding the repeal of the Centre's agri laws.
In a recorded message, Hazare appreciated farmers' protests at the borders of Delhi saying no violence has taken place in the last 10 days of the agitation.
"I appeal to the people of the country that the agitation which is going on in Delhi should spread across the country. The situation needs to created to create pressure o the government, and to achieve this, farmers need to hit the streets. But no one should resort to violence," said Hazar who began his fast in Ralegan Siddhi village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
He said this was the "right time" for farmers to come out on the streets and get their issues resolved. "I had backed this cause earlier also, and wil continue to do so," he said. (PTI)
Various farmer organisations are protesting against the farm laws in Bengaluru today. Members of the Aikya Horata Samiti staged a protest near the Mahatma Gandhi statue at Maurya Circle in Bengaluru.
Naupada Police arrests Rasta Roko protesters on Express Highway in front of Gyansadhana College. (Express photo by Deepak Joshua)
Congress leaders protest in support of Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions, raise slogans against the Centre and show black flags, in front of Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers burn a tyre at Ganj Chowk in Darbhanga to show their support to Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions.
Trains stuck at Barasat station due to blockade in North 24 Parganas. (Express photo Shashi Ghosh)
Navi Mumbai Vashi APMC market closed due to Bharat band.
We're ensuring that public does not face inconvenience and there's no traffic disruption. Adequate security deployed at all important entry/exit points to/from the dist. We also deployed PAC (Provincial Armed Constabulary) force: Love Kumar, Additional CP, Gautam Buddh Nagar, told ANI.
"Officers are making the rounds in their respective areas and ensuring that no one imposes Bandh forcibly. Everyone has been instructed to ensure security of railway stations, bus stands, metro stations and autos. We'll strictly deal with anyone who takes law in their hands," he added.
The Gujarat Police has said it would impose prohibitory orders in the state on Tuesday in view of the Bharat Bandh call given in support of the farmers’ agitation, even as Chief Minister Vijay Rupani declared that Gujarat would remain open and his government would ensure that nobody tries to forcefully shut down businesses and shops. The CM also warned of legal action against those “trying to vitiate the atmosphere”.
At a press conference on Monday, Director General of Police Ashish Bhatia said that section 144 prohibiting assembly of more than four persons at a public place will be imposed across Gujarat on Tuesday. He added that those attempting to click pictures and videos of any agitation and posting on social media also will be booked.
“Section 144 notification in districts and cities on December 8 will be announced by respective police commissioners and senior officials so that there is no assembly of more than four persons… Check post points at border cities have been set up to ensure smooth management of traffic on state highway. Bandobast has also been arranged outside APMCs and markets. Anyone forcibly shutting shops and businesses forcibly or destroying public and private properties will be booked and arrested,” Bhatia said.
Thousands of farmers in Karnataka will join the Bharat bandh on Tuesday. Karnataka Rajya Riatha Sangha president K Chandreshekar said members of around 300 farmers’ organisations would participate. Aikya Horata, a coalition of farmer, labour and Dalit groups, started an indefinite sit-in protest in Bengaluru on Monday. The Karnataka chapter of the All-India Kisan Sangharsh Co-ordination Committee (AIKSCC), a coalition of several farmer organisations, has called for a six-hour bandh on Tuesday.
The Karnataka Congress said it would launch a letter drive against the farm and labour laws. According to Congress Karnataka chief D K Shivakumar, these letters with the signature of farmers and labourers would be sent to the President.
“Congress president Sonia Gandhi has directed the party workers to gather the opinion of the farmers and labourers by way of signature on the letter. On the directions of our party president Sonia Gandhi, we are going to provide 8.8 lakh letters to the farmers and labourers who will sign on it and send it to the President of India,” Shivakumar said.
Inputs by Darshan Devaiah
In Maharashtra, the ruling Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress are among the key parties to support the nationwide strike. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut urged people to take part in the “non-political” bandh to support farmers. Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said NCP workers would join the shutdown by observing social distancing norms.
However, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses and taxis will ply as scheduled during Tuesday’s ‘Bharat bandh’, PTI reported. The All India Motor Transport Congress, an apex body of trucker outfits, said it would “join the Bharat bandh and suspend their operations on December 8”. “Transportation of essential commodities like milk, vegetables and fruits have been excluded from the bandh,” said Daya Natkar, secretary of Maharashtra Rajya Truck Tempo Tankers Vahatuk Sangh.