Bharat Bandh from 6 am to 6 pm today: All you need to know

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a coalition of farmers’ unions, which has given a call for Bharat Bandh or a countrywide strike on March 26, has appealed to people to make it a success. The strike, in protest against the three contentious farm laws enacted recently, will be observed the entire day tomorrow, from 6 am till 6pm.

Thousands of protesting farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and several other states have been staging a sit-in along Delhi borders — Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur — demanding repeal of the farm laws and a legal guarantee that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) will continue. The protesting farmers fear that the new laws will dismantle MSP and corporatise farming.

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The farmers’ unions have held over 10 rounds of talks with the Centre to resolve the stalemate but to no avail.

Bhartiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait along with other farmers’ leaders during one of the talks held with the centre. (PTI/File)

This is the second nation-wide strike announced by the farmers. The first ‘bandh’ took place on December 8 which was witnessed in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Assam. It received support from several trade unions, various other organisations as well as 24 opposition parties, including the Congress and the NCP.

‘Make Bharat Bandh a success’

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha appealed to the citizens to make March 26 a success.

Farmer leader Buta Singh Burjgill said they are observing the bandh on a day when the farmers’ protest will reach the fourth month. “The peaceful bandh will remain effective from morning till evening,” Burjgill said.

The first ‘bandh’ received support from several trade unions, various other organisations as well as 24 opposition parties. (Express File/Gurmeet Singh)

“In order to make Bharat Bandh successful, all District President, the Block President / Tehsil President and top officials should coordinate to ensure that the bandh is made successful,” the Bhartiya Kisan Morcha said in Tweet.

In a meeting held earlier this month to outline their protest plans, the unions also said the rallies and protests against the corporates will intensify.

No road or rail traffic movement

During the strike, from 6 am to 6 pm, all business establishments will be closed and no road and rail traffic will be allowed to ply, the farmers’ unions announced.

On March 28, during ‘Holika Dahan’, copies of the farm laws will be burnt by the farmers, the union leaders said.

Support pours in

Congress MP Digvijaya Singh tweeted in support of the protesting farmers. “We support the call for Bharat Bandh on 26th March against the three Anti-Farmers Bill,” Singh said.

CPI(M) Andhra Pradesh also extended their support for the countrywide strike.