The farmers’ protest is still in its aggravating state. The farmers protesting against the new farms bills have called for a nationwide strike or Bharat Bandh on 8th December. Services across various quarters are likely to take a hit. Several political parties including the Congress, AAP, DMK, Shiv Sena, Kamal Haasan’s MNM, TMC, and the TRS, have given heads-up in support of the nationwide shutdown. The farmer unions, who continue to be at Delhi borders for 10 days, will continue their strike until their demands are full-fullied.
8 दिसंबर को किसानों द्वारा किए गए भारत बंद के आह्वान का आम आदमी पार्टी पूरी तरह से समर्थन करती है। देश भर में आम आदमी पार्टी के कार्यकर्ता शांतिपूर्ण तरीक़े से इसका समर्थन करेंगे। सभी देशवासियों से अपील है की सब लोग किसानो का साथ दें और इसमें हिस्सा लें https://t.co/xNseuxjtFO
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 6, 2020
A joint platform of ten central trade unions has also offered support to the farmers ‘Bharat Bandh call. The joint forum is of ten central trade unions — Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC), Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC).
Rashtriya Loktantrik Party supports the call for ‘Bharat Bandh by farmers’. The PM should take back the farm laws. We will take a decision on whether RLP will stay in NDA or not after December 8: Hanuman Beniwal, RLP leader and MP from Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/K5dRAIHm1s
— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2020
As the protest is escalating day by day, the Delhi Police has issued some instructions with respect to the traffic arrangements.
Traffic Alert
The Gazipur border on on NH 24 is closed for traffic from Gaziabad to Delhi due to farmers protests . People are advised to avoid NH 24 for coming to Delhi and use Apsara/ Bhopra/DND for coming to Delhi.
— Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) December 7, 2020
If in case you are commuting in and from Delhi, follow Delhi Police Twitter Handle, they are tweeting traffic updates regularly.
Further, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that all AAP workers across the country will join the Bharat Bandh on 8th December and he also appealed to all the citizens to extend their support to the farmers. Actor Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) also extended their support to the protest by farmers.
Bank Unions have also conveyed their solidarity with the protesting farmers requested the Centre to resolve the issue at the earliest. Officer unions All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA), and Indian National Bank Officers’ Congress (INBOC) have requested the government to initiate meaningful talks to resolve the conflict by referring the bills to a select committee by a special Presidential Order. This means that bank services are also likely to be affected on Tuesday, December 8.
As trade and taxi unions have already backed the strike, the supply of milk and vegetables could also be affected on Tuesday, December 8.
But, this Nationwide bandh on Tuesday won’t affect any emergency services like ambulances, hospital.
A total of 5 rounds of talks have been already taken place between farmers’ representatives and the government. The next meeting is scheduled for 9th December.
Farmer leaders have mentioned that weddings during the strike won’t be affected.
Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary reiterated that the three laws passed by the government are “in favor of farmers”, and they would not be repealed, though amendments could be made to them.