New Delhi:
Farmer unions from several states, including Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, are today participating in a “Bharat Bandh” to protest against farm bills approved by Parliament last week amid a pandemonium inside and violent unrest outside. The protesting farmers have warned the government their unrest will escalate unless the bills are repealed. Amid heightened security in several states, farmers have been supported by several opposition parties, including Congress, DMK, AAP, RJD and Congress in Trinamool, and at least 10 central unions. The government says the bills – passed amid what the opposition has called the “murder of democracy” – will help farmers get better prices for their produce by allowing them to sell at markets and prices. their choice. Farmers fear, however, the loss of the price support system (PSM) and the entry of private actors.
Here are the 10 main points of this great story:
-
In Bihar, where the poll is held, opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav took part in a tractor rally to protest against farm bills. In footage shared by ANI News Agency, the RJD leader can be seen slowly driving a blue tractor down a main road in Patna as a large crowd of farmers, herded by armed police, walk alongside. Visuals show at least four or five other tractors behind Mr. Yadav as the entire chain moves forward.
-
A “complete shutdown” of Punjab has been called for by the 31 farmer groups demonstrating in the state under the banner of the Union Bharatiya Kisan (BKU). Additional police have been deployed to maintain law and order, officials said.
-
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the congressional-led state government supports farmers and that no FIRs will be registered for violating the ban orders.
-
The Punjab-Haryana border has been sealed near Ambala – a key border crossing between the two states. Police barricades have also been set up at the NH-1 toll plaza at Ladowal Toll Plaza in Ludhiana and the police in Chandigarh are on high alert. Groups of farmers have also started to demonstrate along the Faridkot-Kotkapura highway.
-
Punjab farmers began a three-day rail blockade on Thursday and crouched down on tracks in several places across the state, including Amritsar and Firozpur districts. Farmer group protests include a march by women members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh committee.
-
In Uttar Pradesh, escalating protests against the bills led to the blockade of the Ayodhya-Lucknow highway. Farmers also blocked the Delhi-Meerut highway near Ghaziabad to protest the bills. Farmers in the state’s Kheri district also rallied to protest.
-
Police have been deployed to the Chilla region near the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border amid fears that farmers will march through the nation’s capital to continue their protests.
-
Parts of the Delhi-Amritsar highway have reportedly been blocked and the Delhi-Haryana border is also expected to be sealed, with police in the national capital on high alert.
-
In the south, members of the Karnataka State Farmers Association staged a protest near Bommanahalli on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu highway.
-
Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi both tweeted against farm bills today. Ms Gandhi Vadra said: “They (the farmers) will be forced to become slaves of trillions through contract farming.” Mr Gandhi simply said: “… The new agricultural laws will enslave our farmers”.
With the contribution of PTI
