17:08 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Mixed response to Bharat Bandh in UP; SP workers protest in many districts
The Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions, protesting the three Central agri laws, drew a mixed response in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday with shops and offices remaining largely open, while the Samajwadi Party held protests in a number of districts and even holding up a train in Allahabad.
Samajwadi Party leaders sat on a silent protest near the statue of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh at the Vidhan Bhavan in Lucknow in support of the bandh. SP MLCs Rajpal Kashyap, Sunil Singh Sajan, Anand Bhadauria and Ashu Malik were part of it.
However, life in state capital remained mostly unaffected with District Magistrate Abhishek Prakash saying that attendances in offices were absolutely normal.
“The impact (of the Bharat Bandh) was zero in Lucknow as all the markets were open. The mandis were also open,” he said.
-PTI
16:51 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Joint delegation of Opposition to meet President tomorrow: Sitaram Yechury
A joint delegation of Opposition parties will meet President Ram Nath Kovind tomorrow at 5 pm, says CPI (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury. He says the delegation will include Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, and others. Due to COVID-19 protocols, only five people have been allowed to meet the President
16:41 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Oppn leaders have consciously decided to stay away from protest sites: Left leaders
Sitaram Yechury says the Left had made a conscious decision to stay away from protest sites, PTI reports. “The farmer groups themselves also told us that they would want it this way,” he says. “So, we have no party banners at the protest sites.”
He adds that the Left parties do not want to politicise the protests. “However, our MPs are there [at protest sites], as parliamentarians, to show solidarity. We do not want to politicise the issue.”
16:31 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Farmers block highways in Punjab, Haryana; shops, petrol pumps closed
Farmers blocked national highways and other key roads at many places in Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday as part of the their nationwide protest to press for repeal of the Centre’s new farm laws.
Shops and commercial establishments remained closed at most places in Punjab and several places in Haryana as traders backed the agitating farmers.
Public and private transport services remained shut in Punjab. In neighbouring Haryana, inter-state and intra-state bus services were disrupted.
Petroleum dealers in the twin states kept filling stations closed to support the ”Bharat Bandh” called by the farmer unions.
-PTI
16:16 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
#WATCH: Clash erupts in Jaipur between BJP and Congress workers
#WATCH Rajasthan: A clash erupted outside BJP office in Jaipur between BJP and Congress workers during a protest over #farmlaws pic.twitter.com/utzwhn4EKz
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2020
16:12 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Mixed response to ‘Bharat Bandh’ in Uttarakhand
The ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by farmer unions against the Agri laws evoked a mixed response in Uttarakhand on Tuesday, with little effect seen in the hill districts of Chamoli, Pauri, Uttarkashi, and Rudraprayag while the border district of Pithoragarh observed a complete strike.
In the state capital, scores of party workers led by PCC president Pritam Singh marched from the state party office here to Paltan bazar to enforce the bandh but ran into arguments with shop owners who refused to down their shutters.
Later they sat on a dharna at the busy clock tower shouting slogans against the new farm laws causing a brief traffic jam in the area. However, police intervened to restore traffic detaining the PCC president along with his supporters and taking them to the police lines.
However, most shops in the Rajpur road area, the heart of the town remained open. Traffic was also normal except for the brief disruption due to the sit-in by Congress workers.
-PTI
16:04 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Coalfield ops normal, inter-state traffic affected in Jharkhand
The nationwide shutdown over the Centre’s new farm laws evoked a mixed response in Jharkhand on Tuesday with government offices functioning as usual, private institutions and shops closed in some areas, while local traffic was near normal but long-distance vehicles remained off the roads.
Protests and demonstrations were held in Ranchi, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur, Palamu, Dumka, Bokaro, Sahibganj and Pakur but no untoward incident was reported from anywhere, officials said.
Director-General of Police MV Rao said that the situation in all the districts was peaceful.
– PTI
15:43 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Delhi Police rejects allegations from AAP against Kejriwal’s house arrest
Anto Alphonse, Deputy Superintendent of Police North, Delhi Police, rejects the allegations made by Aam Aadmi Party that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been placed under house arrest, reports ANI.
“The deployment which is being seen outside the residence of Kejriwal is the regular deployment for the security of the chief minister,” says Alphonse. “We’re coordinating with the chief minister’s residence. Anyone whom they say they want to allow inside, we will allow.”
15:31 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
More farmers arrive from Haryana, Punjab, likely to hit supply of rations for protesters
More farmers from Punjab and Haryana trickled in at the Singhu border on tractor-trolleys and cars on Tuesday amid heavy security presence as a nationwide protest called their representatives against the Centre’s farm laws was underway.
The ”Bharat Bandh”, however, hit the supply of essentials, including rice, wheat flour, lentils, oil, milk, soap, and toothpaste, for the protesters camping at the border for the 13th day on the trot.
“Obviously, the rations supply will be hit. But we have enough stacked up for another 2-3 months. We have come prepared for a long haul,” Gurjaint Singh from Panipat was quoted by news agency PTI.
But the numbers have started to swell as many more are coming in on bicycles and carts, he said.
15:23 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
No one in Bengaluru supporting Bharat Bandh, says Karnataka CM
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa claims that no one is supporting the Bharat Bandh call given by farmers’ in Bengaluru and other parts of the state, reports ANI.
“The state and the Centre is pro-farmer,” says the chief minister. “The prime minister won’t take any decision against farmers. It’s not right to give the call for Bandh for political reasons. Police will take proper action on breaking the law.”
15:07 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Farmers to meet Amit Shah at 7 pm today
Rakesh Tikait, the spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, told ANI that farmers’ have a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah at 7 pm today. “We are going to Singhu border now and from there we will go to [meet] the home minister.”
The meeting comes a day before the Centre is scheduled the meet the protesting farmers’ for the sixth round of talks.
We have a meeting with the Home Minister at 7 pm today. We are going to Singhu Border now and from there we will go to the Home Minister: Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson, Bharatiya Kisan Union pic.twitter.com/IWY2G1rMzZ
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 8, 2020
14:59 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Opposition parties to meet President tomorrow, says Sharad Pawar
NCP president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said leaders from different political parties will discuss and take a collective stand on the contentious farm laws before meeting President Ram Nath Kovind.
Opposition parties are expected to meet Kovind on Wednesday evening to raise their concerns about the three farm laws. Pawar’s NCP is among the parties that have backed Tuesday ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by farmers’ unions.
“Leaders from different political parties (those opposing the farm bills) will sit, discuss and take a collective stand on the contentious farm laws before meeting President Ram Nath Kovind,” Pawar told reporters.
On Monday, the BJP said Pawar, who was an agriculture minister in the UPA government, had asked states to amend the APMC Act and had even warned them that the Centre will not provide financial assistance in absence of the three reforms.
14:49 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Jammu witnesses pro-farmer protests against newly introduced farm laws
Various organisations, including transporters, held peaceful protests here on Tuesday to express solidarity with farmers who gave a call for Bharat Bandh.
The bandh evoked a mixed response in the Jammu region with most public transport staying off roads. Commuters faced problems and were seen walking a distance, but shops and business establishments remained partially open.
The main protest rally was taken out by J&K Transport Welfare Association (JKTWA) from Bikram Chowk to Digyana, blocking the Jammu-Pathankot highway. The JKTWA and over a dozen other social, religious and political organizations have extended support to the bandh call.
The protests remained peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in Jammu district or elsewhere in the province, officials said.
-PTI
14:44 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Shiv Sena never supported farm laws: Sanjay Raut
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party never supported the three farm laws in Lok Sabha as alleged by the BJP. Taking a swipe at the Centre over farmers’ protests, Raut suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah can hold talks with cultivators who are observing the Bharat Bandh against farm laws.
Speaking to reporters, Raut said the “non-political” shutdown is receiving support from the people across the country, reports PTI.
The ruling Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress have extended their support to the Bharat bandh called by famrer unions for repeal of the three agri laws.
Raut rubbished BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis’ reported comments that the Sena had supported the farm laws in Lok Sabha, saying the Uddhav Thackeray-led party never did so.
14:35 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Haryana CM arrives in Delhi to meet Union Agri minister
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Khattar arrives at Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar’s residence, as farmers observe a nationwide shutdown to protest against the new agricultural laws, reports ANI.
Delhi: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar arrives at the residence of Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to meet him. pic.twitter.com/kbwyCMCXdM
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2020
14:32 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Centre helping corporates, allege farmer leaders
Amid the national shutdown against new agri laws of the Centre, farmer leaders in Maharashtra on Tuesday accused the government of favouring corporates by bringing these legislations, reports PTI
Former MP from Kolhapur district and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna (SSS) leader Raju Shetti said the Centre will have to withdraw these laws in view of the mounting pressure.
“Farmers in the country have come together to oppose the new acts cleared by Parliament. The pressure is mounting and the Centre will have to withdraw these acts. The Centre is helping corporates through such acts,” Shetti told reporters.
Various farmer organisations took out protest rallies in Buldhana, Jalna and Aurangabad.
14:16 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Opposition asking to roll back farm laws is hypocritical: Prakash Javadekar
The Opposition parties asking to roll back the three farm laws is hypocritical as they had passed the contract farming act while in power. Congress has mentioned the introduction of these laws in their manifesto, says Union Minister Prakash Javadekar
14:07 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Delhi-Meerut highway blocked, say reports
As per NDTV, the Delhi-Meerut highway has been blocked amid “Bharat bandh” – a nationwide shutdown called for by farmers protesting the farm laws. Transport services, offices, and shops – particularly those selling fruits and vegetables – in some states and cities are likely to be affected.
13:57 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Anna Hazare sits on a day-long fast
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare sat on a day-long fast on Tuesday in solidarity with farmers’ Bharat Bandh call against the three farm laws. In his recorded message, eighty-three-year-old Hazare said his hunger strike at his native place of Ralegan Siddhi village “is to extend support to the agitating farmers”.
“I appeal to the citizens of this country that the farmers’ agitation at Delhi borders should spread across the country. The government needs to be pressured and for that to happen, farmers need to hit the streets. But no one should resort to violence,” said Hazare.
13:48 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Centre’s agri laws aimed at benefiting the rich: Digvijaya Singh
The new agriculture laws were introduced by the Centre with an objective to provide benefits to “big persons”, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh alleged here in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday while leading a protest in support of the ongoing Bharat Bandh, as per PTI.
Singh led the demonstration of Congress workers at Sanyogitaganj Anaj Mandi where slogans were raised against the Narendra Modi government. The protesters demanded the rollback of three agri laws.
“After introducing demonetisation and GST, the Modi government, in order to benefit big persons, has brought these black laws in the agriculture sector. Besides farmers, labourers working in mandis (agri markets) have hit the roads in protest,” Singh said.
13:36 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Rahul Gandhi urges people to support Bharat Bandh
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday urged people to support the Bharat Bandh call given by farmer leaders and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop “stealing” from farmers.
Gandhi and the Congress party are supporting the farmers’ agitation and they have demanded a repeal of the three farm laws.
The Congress is openly supporting the Bharat Bandh and has joined the protests by holding dharnas and demonstrations across the country.
“Modi ji, stop stealing from farmers. All fellow citizens know that today is Bharat Bandh. Make our food growers’ struggle successful by fully supporting it,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.
-PTI
13:22 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
BJP is perplexed after Kejriwal met farmers: Manish Sisodia
Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia hit out at the BJP-led Centre after reports emerged of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being put under house arrest. “BJP is perplexed after he (Kejriwal) went to meet the farmers at Singhu border. He has been put under house arrest ever since he returned, his house has been barricaded. Entry and exit of people not being allowed,” he added.
13:08 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
TRS, Opposition parties hold protests in Telangana
The ruling TRS, opposition parties including the Congress and various unions held protests across Telangana as part of the ‘Bharat Bandh’ against the NDA government’s new agri laws.
Expressing support to the bandh, the TRS decided to actively participate in the protests in the state to ensure it was a success. State Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar and TRS leader in Lok Sabha Nama Nageswara Rao attended a sit-in protest at Khammam. State women and child welfare minister Satyavati Rathod and Endowments Minister A Indrakaran Reddy participated in protests at Mahabubabad and Nirmal towns respectively.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka attended a ‘rasta roko’ at Shamirpet along with other party leaders. Telangana Jana Samiti(TJS) leader M Kodandaram, CPI state secretary Chada Venkata Reddy, his CPI (M) counterpart Tammineni Veerabhadram and activists of Left parties and Left-affiliated trade and other unions held a protest at Kothi in the city. The Left activists took out demonstrations at various places in the state in support of theshutdown. The TRS, Congress and Left parties planned various events during the day as part of the strike.
13:01 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
DMK-led Opposition joins protest in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry
Opposition DMK and its allies, including the Congress, held protests across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as part of the farmers call for ‘Bharat Bandh’, demanding the Centre to repeal the three farm laws.
In the union territory, the bandh call evoked a near total response with buses, taxis and autos staying off the roads and traders, retail outlets and other commercial establishments downing shutters to support the shutdown while government offices saw thin attendance.
In Tamil Nadu, public and private transportation and normal life was largely unaffected barring traffic congestion in the vicinity of protest locations. Demonstrations were held at several regions including Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Cuddalore and neighbouring Puducherry in which farmers bodies and DMK’s allies, including Congress, CPI(M), CPI and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi took part.
Farmers’ leader PR Pandian participated in a protest and said riots were actively engaged in demonstrations across the state. Cadres, waving flags of their parties, gathered at important locations and shouted slogans against the union government’s farm laws alleging the new legislations only favoured the corporate entities and not the farmers and sought its immediate withdrawal.
12:45 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Public transport almost unaffected in Maharashtra
Public transport services in Mumbai, including suburban trains and buses, and in other parts of Maharashtra largely remained unaffected on despite various organisations supporting the Bharat Bandh for repeal of the Centre’s agriculture laws, officials said.
Services of local trains as well as out-station trains remained unaffected until now, said Shivaji Sutar, chief public relations officer (CPRO), Central Railway.
Leaders of taxi and autorickshaw unions told PTI that their services in Mumbai remained normal. A spokesperson of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), which operates a fleet of buses in Mumbai and metropolitan region, said almost 85 percent of the scheduled buses plied on roads.
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) PRO Abhijit Bhosale said buses plied normally across the state, barring few places where they have curtailed operations either due to the poor passenger response or as a precautionary measure. Truck operators said the movement of goods was affected to an extent as several truckers chose not to operate in view of the shutdown.
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. Taxi union leader AL Quadros said taxis are plying in Mumbai as the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown had already hit the sector severely.
12:41 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Mixed reaction to Bharat Bandh call in Rajasthan
The Bharat bandh call given by farmers organisations evoked a mixed reaction in Rajasthan where mandis remained closed but several shops were open. The bandh is supported by the ruling Congress party in the state.
Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas along with his supporters visited Civil Lines, Sodala, MI Road and other areas on a tractor and other vehicles in support of the bandh. “The impact is clearly visible in towns and villages. All the mandis in the state are closed and the bandh is going on peacefully,” Kisan Mahapanchayat president Rampal Jat said.
“Farmers had to come out on roads against the Centre’s anti-farmers laws which were brought to favour capitalists. They should be withdrawn immediately in the interest of farmers,” he said. Elaborate security arrangements have been made and senior officials conducted visits in field.
12:38 (IST)
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates
Highways, railway tracks blocked in Bihar
Railway tracks, highways and roads across Bihar were teeming with supporters of the Bharat Bandh, which affected normal life in the state. Police were deployed in large numbers to ensure that the movement of essential goods and services remained unhindered.
RJD supporters and workers of Pappu Yadav’s Jan Adhikar Party fanned out to various parts of Patna, forcing shopkeepers to down their shutters and deflating tyres of vehicles plying on the roads.
In Jehanabad, the movement of Patna-Palamu Express was obstructed for a few minutes until the bandh supporters, squatting on the tracks, were chased away by the police. Burning tyres were placed on National Highway 110 and 83, resulting in the disruption of traffic, leading to long queues of vehicles.
In Nawada, cadres of the Congress, the CPI and CPI(ML) hit the streets, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanding the withdrawal of the agriculture laws terming these as “anti-farmer”. Similar scenes were witnessed in the Khagaria district.
12:24 (IST)
Mumbai dabbawalas extend support to bandh; protestors detained in Guwahati
The farm laws brought by the Centre will finish the farmers of the country, Subhash Talekar, president of the Mumbai Dabbawala Association, said adding that the dabbawalas support the Bharat Bandh.
Meanwhile, police detained a few people that were protesting in front of Janata Bhawan in Guwahati.
Assam: Police detain a few people that were protesting in front of Janata Bhawan in Guwahati today, in support of #BharatBandh called by farmer unions. pic.twitter.com/YsxYDWBmLD
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2020
11:52 (IST)
If it has the heart, government will talk to farmers: Sanjay Raut
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said the nationwide strike is not a political bandh but a sentiment. He went on to say that farmers protesting in Delhi are not carrying any political flag and it is “our duty ti stand in unity with farmers. “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),” he added.
11:11 (IST)
Kejriwal not in ‘house arrest’; police deployment to avoid clashes, claims official
ANI has quoted Anto Alphonse, DCP North, Delhi as saying about claims that Arvind Kejriwal has been put under house arrest, “It is a general deployment to avoid any clash between AAP and any other party. The chief minister has not been put under house arrest.”
11:00 (IST)
Congress, Left supporters block roads, railway tracks across Bengal
Supporters of the Congress and Left parties on Tuesday blocked railway tracks at several places, and held sit-ins on roads to enforce the nationwide shutdown, which evoked a mixed response in West Bengal.
The ”Bharat Bandh”, called by agitating farmers” unions against the Centre”s farm laws, partially affected the state with private vehicles remaining off the roads, while public transport, including buses and taxis, operating fewer than the usual.
In Kolkata, CPI(M) activists along with SFI and DYFI members blocked roads in Lake Town, College Street, Jadavpur and Shyambazar Five-Point Crossing.
Roads were also blocked by Left and Congress supporters at Madhyamgram Chowmatha in North 24 Parganas district, Panskura in Paschim Medinipur, Bali in Howrah district, Baharampur in Murshidabad, and Kharagpur as police tried to persuade them to allow vehicular movement.
PTI
10:47 (IST)
Kejriwal placed under ‘house arrest’, claims AAP
The Aam Aadmi Party has claimed that Delhi Police has placed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal under house arrest.
Important :
BJP’s Delhi Police has put Hon’ble CM Shri @ArvindKejriwal under house arrest ever since he visited farmers at Singhu Border yesterday
No one has been permitted to leave or enter his residence#आज_भारत_बंद_है#BJPHouseArrestsKejriwal
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) December 8, 2020
10:43 (IST)
In Goa, public transport normal, markets open
Markets remained open in BJP-ruled Goa on Tuesday morning while public transport was also normal even as various political parties have backed the Bharat Bandh call given by farmers against new agri laws of the Centre.
Educational institutes also functioned as per schedule.
Markets remained opened and public transport was also normal in the coastal state, which is witnessing rush of tourists.
Various political parties and unions of workers will hold a symbolic protest at Azad Maidan in Panaji later in the day, a leader said.
A senior police officer told PTI that all the police stations in the state are put on alert, but so far, no report of protests is received.
Police have been patrolling various areas including certain sensitive pockets, he said.
PTI
10:40 (IST)
Protesting farmes prepare to block roads, occupy toll plazas in Delhi
Protesting farmers started preparations to block key roads and occupy toll plazas on Tuesday as part of their call for a ”Bharat Bandh” against the Centre”s new agri marketing laws.
All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) general secretary Hannan Mollah said the ”Bharat Bandh” is a show of strength by the farmers, and their legitimate demands have found support from people across the country.
Agitating farmer unions have threatened to block national highways and occupy toll plazas across the country during their ”chakka jam” protest from 11 am to 3 pm as part of their stir. Emergency services will be exempted during the bandh.
PTI
10:35 (IST)
APMCs remain shut in many parts of Maharashtra
Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) remained closed in many parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday in support of the Bharat Bandh called by agitating farmer unions to press for repeal of the Centre”s agri laws.
Wholesale markets in major cities like Pune, Nashik, Nagpur and Aurangabad remained shut. Retail shops also downed shutters in many cities.
APMCs at Kalyan and Vashi in Navi Mumbai, which supplies bulk of vegetables and fruits to Mumbai, remained closed, with wholesalers and traders supporting the Bandh.
On a normal day, thousands of trucks transport vegetables, fruits, foodgrains and spices to APMCs every day across the state.
Police officials said public services were affected in Thane and Palghar cities, which fall under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
PTI
10:10 (IST)
RJD workers burn tyres in Bihar; Karnataka leaders hold up black flags
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers burnt a tyre in Bihar’s Darbhanga in a show of support to the Bharat Bandh. Meanwhile in Karnataka, Congress leaders raise slogans against the Centre and held black flags in front of Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Party leaders Siddaramaiah, BK Hariprasad and Ramalinga Reddy and others were involved in the protest.
Bihar: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers burn a tyre at Ganj Chowk in Darbhanga, in protest against Central Government, and show their support to #BharatBandh called by farmer unions. pic.twitter.com/kea7UwpQlN
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2020
Karnataka: Congress leaders protest in support of #BharatBandh called by farmer unions, raise slogans against the Centre & show black flags, in front of Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
Party leaders Siddaramaiah, BK Hariprasad, Ramalinga Reddy and others present. pic.twitter.com/YptI0ENQlg
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2020
10:05 (IST)
Pune APMC market remains open on Bharat Bandh
While the Pune APMC market will not make any sales today, it will remain open despite the Bharat Bandh. Local trader Sachin Paygude said “We support farmers’ agitation. But we’ve kept the market open today so farm produces coming in from other states can be stored or else it will rot.”
10:00 (IST)
Protest will be peaceful: Farmers’ leader Rakesh Tikait
Ahead of the Bharat Bandh, Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said the protest will be completely peaceful. “If someone gets stuck for 2-3 hours in a Bandh called by us, we provide them with water and fruits. Ours is a different concept,” he told ANI.
09:58 (IST)
Left parties stage protests in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh
Left political parties, trade unions and farmer unions stopped trains at the Bhubaneswar railway station. They also staged a protest in Andhra Pradesh’s Vijaywada.
Andhra Pradesh: Left political parties stage a protest in Vijayawada, in support of today’s #BharatBandh called by farmer unions, against Central Government’s #FarmLaws. pic.twitter.com/PsbrFNxlaL
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2020
Odisha: Left political parties, trade unions and farmer unions stop trains at Bhubaneswar Railway Station.
Farmer Unions have called #BharatBandh today, over Centre’s #FarmLaws. pic.twitter.com/C63X69FSlE
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2020
09:55 (IST)
Osmania University postpones today’s exams
All examinations scheduled for today under Osmania University jurisdiction have been postponed due to the Bharat Bandh. The revised schedule will be given in due course of time and examinations scheduled from 9 December onwards will be held as per schedule.
09:41 (IST)
Train briefly stopped in Maharashtra’s Buldhana
Swabhimani Shetkari Saghtana staged a ‘Bharat Bandh Rail Roko’ protest and briefly stopped a train today in Malkapur of Buldhana district. They were later removed from the tracks by local police and detained.
Maharashtra: Swabhimani Shetkari Saghtana staged ‘Bharat Bandh Rail Roko’ protest and briefly stopped a train today in Malkapur of Buldhana dist. They were later removed from the tracks by Police & detained.
Farmer Unions have called #BharatBandh today, over Centre’s #FarmLaws pic.twitter.com/syREnd7Iez
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2020
09:39 (IST)
Returning awards to support farmers is ‘one day advertisement’: G Kishan Reddy
Even as former Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal, MP Sukhdev Dhindsa sought to return their Padma awards in solidarity with the farmers’ protest, MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy told ANI, “No award has been returned earlier and none are going to be. These are only for a day’s advertisement. I want to ask those returning awards about what is against farmers in the farm laws. Have they read the laws?”
Noted Punjabi poet Surjit Patar too announced that he will return his Padma Shri award in support of farmers while two-time Asian Games gold-winning former wrestler Kartar Singh led a few sportspersons from Punjab in a march towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan to return “35 national sports awards”.
Badal also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the issue could have been dealt with better if the government had given attention to honest feedback from farmers. “Three Acts in question that have pushed the country into deep turmoil must be withdrawn without making farmers and their families endure any more suffering in this biting cold. Issue doesn’t concern farmers alone but affects entire economic fabric of country,” he wrote.
09:31 (IST)
Air India to waive no show charges for those unable to reach airport
Air India said in a statement that people who are unable to reach the airport due to disturbance owing to the strike will be allowed one free date change for travel on 8 December and no show charges will be waived off in such cases.
09:22 (IST)
Political parties support call for Bharat Bandh
The Bharat Bandh comes a day ahead of the sixth round of talks between the Centre and protesting farmers. This call to action has received widespread support from many opposition parties including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Shiv Sena, Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), the Revolutionary Socialist Party, the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).
09:22 (IST)
Political parties support call for Bharat Bandh
The Bharat Bandh comes a day ahead of the sixth round of talks between the Centre and protesting farmers. This call to action has received widespread support from many opposition parties including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Shiv Sena, Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), the Revolutionary Socialist Party, the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).
09:20 (IST)
Main highways between Delhi, Haryana to see traffic disruptions
Haryana Police has issued a travel advisory stating that people may face traffic blockages on various roads and highways of the state.
Almost all the districts in the state except Nuh and Narnaul are likely to be impacted by big or small road jams. In addition, there may also be disruptions on various toll plazas in the state. “The main national highways Delhi-Ambala (NH-44), Delhi-Hisar (NH-9), Delhi-Palwal (NH-19) and Delhi to Rewari (NH-48) may also see some traffic disruptions for a short time. The peak time of impact is expected to be between 12 pm to 3 pm,” PTI quoted a police official as saying.
Meanwhile, Gurugram’s DCP Traffic DK Bhardwaj said that traffic will be diverted from Kherki Daula toll, Hero Honda Chowk, Rajeev Chowk, IFFCO Chowk and Shankar Chowk.
09:19 (IST)
Movement between Delhi and Noida, Ghaziabad to be hit
Delhi Traffic Police on Monday tweeted about the closure of the Singhu, Auchandi, Piao Maniyari and Mangesh borders. The Tikri and Jharoda borders are also closed, it said and advised alternative routes for travelling to Haryana and UP.
The Gazipur border on NH-24 is also closed for traffic from Ghaziabad to Delhi. “The National Highway-44 has also been closed on both sides. So those travelling are suggested to take alternative routes via Lampur, Safiabad and Saboli borders. Traffic has also been diverted from Mukarba and GTK road,” it said.
Those travelling towards Noida have been advised to take DND as the Chilla border on the Noida Link road too is closed for traffic, it said. “People are advised to avoid NH-24 for coming to Delhi and use Apsara/ Bhopra/DND for coming to Delhi,” it added.
However, the Badusarai border is open only for light motor vehicles like cars and two-wheelers and Jhatikara border is open only for two-wheeler traffic, it said. The Traffic Police said those travelling to Haryana can take the route via Dhansa, Daurala, Kapashera, Rajokri NH-8, Bijwasan or Bajghera, Palam Vihar and Dundahera borders.
08:52 (IST)
Mumbai’s fruit, vegetable supply to be affected
In Mumbai, supply of fruits and vegetables will be affected. This is due to the Vashi mandi being closed. Cabs, autos and buses will run but commercial trucks will stay off the roads. Retail traders’ associations have not backed the bandh but individual shops may choose to do so, they said. Hotels and restaurants are also expected to remain open. Mumbai Police will increase patrolling to ensure no “untoward incident” takes place.
08:48 (IST)
Traffic advisories issued by Delhi and Haryana police
Delhi and Haryana Police have issued separate traffic advisories for people looking to enter or leave the national capital. Traffic on National Highways 9, 19, 24, 44 and 48 will be disrupted, with either sections or the whole of these roads closed.
08:30 (IST)
Supply of farm produce, dairy products likely to be hit
Bank unions have said they stand in solidarity with the farmers but will not participate in the bandh. They will, however, wear black badges while on duty and stage protests after or before working hours.
However, almost all commercial transport and truck unions will participate, meaning supply of dairy products, fruits and vegetables will be impacted.
Bharat Bandh Today LATEST Updates: A joint delegation of Opposition parties will meet President Ram Nath Kovind tomorrow at 5 pm, says CPI (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury. He says the delegation will include Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar and others. Due to COVID-19 protocols, only five people have been allowed to meet the President
Farmers blocked national highways and other key roads at many places in Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday as part of their nationwide protest to press for repeal of the Centre’s new farm laws. Shops and commercial establishments remained closed at most places in Punjab and several places in Haryana as traders backed the agitating farmers.
NCP president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said leaders from different political parties will discuss and take a collective stand on the contentious farm laws before meeting President Ram Nath Kovind.
The Opposition parties asking to roll back the three farm laws is hypocritical as they had passed the contract farming act while in power. Congress has mentioned the introduction of these laws in their manifesto, says Union Minister Prakash Javadekar
Calling the deployment of security outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, Anto Alphonse, DCP North, Delhi denied the party’s claim of their chief being put under house arrest. “It is a general deployment to avoid any clash between AAP and any other party,” he added.
The Aam Aadmi Party has claimed that Delhi Police has placed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal under house arrest.
RJD workers burnt a tyre in Bihar’s Darbhanga in a show of support to the Bharat Bandh. Meanwhile in Karnataka, Congress leaders raise slogans against the Centre and held black flags in front of Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
Swabhimani Shetkari Saghtana staged a ‘Bharat Bandh Rail Roko’ protest and briefly stopped a train today in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district. Meanwhile, all examinations scheduled for today under Osmania University jurisdiction have been postponed.
A nationwide strike on Tuesday called by agitating farmer unions to press for repeal of the Centre’s agriculture sector laws is likely to have an impact in some northern states after several trade unions extended support to it even as the farmer leaders said that no one should be forced to join the shutdown.
With almost all Opposition parties backing the ‘Bharat Bandh’ and many announcing parallel protests in support of the farmers, the Centre has issued an advisory directing all the states and Union Territories to tighten security and ensure peace is maintained. The railways. too asked its personnel to step up vigil saying protesters may organise rail blockades in 16 states.
Appealing to everyone to join the “symbolic” bandh, farmer leaders said they will block key roads during their ‘chakka jam’ protest from 11 am to 3 pm as part of their stir, which has drawn people from northern states especially Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi since the last 12 days.
“Our bandh is different from that of political parties. It is a four-hour symbolic bandh for an ideological cause. We want that there should be no problem to the common people. We appeal to them not to travel during this period,” farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said. “We also urge shopkeepers to shut their outlets during this period,” he said.
Bhartiya Kisan Ekta Sangathan president Jagjit Singh Dallewala asked farmers to maintain peace and not to try to enforce the shutdown. He said emergency services will be exempted during the bandh.
The leader also claimed the bandh will be effective across the country.
“The Modi government will have to accept our demands. We want nothing less than a withdrawal of the new farm laws,” farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said.
The Centre and the farmer unions are slated to hold the sixth round of talks a day after the bandh as previous discussions failed to end the deadlock.
Targeted by the Opposition parties, the BJP hit back and accused them of “shameful double standards“, claiming many of them had endorsed these reforms when in power or had supported them in Parliament.
Senior BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Opposition parties have joined the agitation in a bid to save their existence after being repeatedly rejected by people in different elections across the country.
Prasad said a section of farmers has fallen in the grip of some people with “vested interests” and asserted that the government was working to address their misgivings about the reforms. He appreciated the protesting farmer unions for not associating their stir with any political parties.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis also slammed the Opposition.
The agitating farmers have drawn support from various quarters including artists, sportspersons and workers’ and students’ groups.
Tuesday’s strike could impact the transport of goods as the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), the apex body of transporters representing about 95 lakh truckers and other entities, said it will suspend operations in the entire country to support the bandh.
The Railways’ two biggest unions, AIRF and NFIR have extended their support to the bandh and are planning to hold rallies and demonstrations in their support. The All India Railwaymen’s Federation has around nine lakh members.
They are the latest to show solidarity with the agitating farmers, who have found support from transport unions and the joint forum of trade unions like the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
Traders’ body CAIT and the All India Transporters Welfare Association, however, said markets across the country including in Delhi will remain open and transport services will also remain operative.
While the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) claims to represent around seven crore traders, AITWA said it represents 60 to 65 percent of the organised transport sector in the country.
Bank unions also said they will not participate in the Bharat Bandh on Tuesday, even as they expressed solidarity with farmers protesting against the new farm laws. All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC) General Secretary Soumya Datta said the union has expressed its solidarity with farmers but will not be participating in the Bharat Bandh called by them.
Similarly, All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) General Secretary CH Venkatachalam said union members would wear black badges while on duty, stage protest after or before working hours and display placards before bank branches to support the cause of farmers of the country, but banking operations will not be hit.
The Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Trinamool Congress, DMK and its allies, TRS, RJD, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party and the Left are among the political parties that are backing the strike.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati too tweeted on Monday in support of the bandh and appealed to the Centre to accept the farmers’ demands.
Several of these parties have announced protest programmes for Tuesday while supporting the Bandh call by the farmer groups, who have maintained that their stir is apolitical.
While the Congress has said it will hold protests that day at all district and state headquarters, the ruling TMC on West Bengal has announced sit-ins in various areas for three days.
The Congress said the Centre would be responsible for any inconvenience caused to people during the bandh.
Its Punjab unit president Sunil Jakhar said the farmers were justified in opposing these laws and urged all sections of people and political parties to support the Bharat Bandh, blaming the government for the impasse.
The Aam Aadmi Party said it will hold a peaceful demonstration in the National Capital.
In the wake of the call for bandh and protests, the Union home ministry in its advisory to state governments and UT administrations asked them to ensure that the COVID-19 guidelines issued about health and social distancing are strictly followed.
The states and UTs were told that peace and tranquillity must be maintained during the ‘Bharat Bandh’ and precautionary measures taken so that no untoward incident takes place anywhere in the country, a home ministry official said.
The bandh has been called against Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020, all of which were passed by Parliament recently.
The three farm laws enacted in September have been projected by the government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates. The Centre has repeatedly asserted that these mechanisms will remain.
Addressing a press conference, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Congress’ manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls had promised repeal of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee Act and make agri-trade free from all restrictions. “In 2013, Rahul Gandhi had given direction to all the chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states to delist fruits and vegetables from the APMC and allow them to sell it directly in the open market,” Prasad said.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar had written as the Union agriculture minister in the UPA government to chief ministers strongly advocating for greater participation of the private sector in the farm sector and highlighting the need for making suitable regulatory and policy changes for that, Prasad said.
Prominent leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Pawar, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, DMK chief MK Stalin and PAGD chairman Farooq Abdullah had on Sunday issued a joint statement backing the bandh.
Meanwhile, police have increased deployment at various Delhi border points.
The Delhi Traffic Police on Monday tweeted about the closure of the Singhu, Auchandi, Piao Maniyari and Mangesh borders. The Tikri and Jharoda borders are also closed, it said and advised alternative routes for travelling to Haryana and UP. The National Highway-44 (NH-44) has also been closed on both sides. The Gazipur border on NH-24 is also closed for traffic from Gaziabad to Delhi.
Transport facilities, supplies of essentials like vegetables and fruits in the National Capital are likely to be affected.
The Delhi Police has warned of strict action against those trying to disrupt the movement of people or “forcibly” shut shops in the city. Some of the taxi and cab unions, including those associated with app-based aggregators, have also decided to join the one-day strike.
Major wholesale vegetable and fruit markets in the National Capital may be affected with a section of traders favouring the farmers’ demands. “I have received calls from several traders’ associations for strike on Tuesday. I believe the Mandis at Ghazipur, Okhla and Narela will also be closed due to ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by farmers,” Adil Khan, chairman of Azadapur Mandi, said.