Bharat Bandh LIVE: The Railways’ two biggest unions, AIRF and NFIR have extended their support to the bandh
Bharat Bandh Live: The nationwide shutdown – from 11 AM to 3 PM- called by farmers protesting against the Centre’s new farm laws is likely to disrupt transportation services in various states. Banking services across the country will continue working unhindered as banking unions have withdrawn from the shutdown. Farmer unions have termed today’s shutdown as ‘peaceful protest’ and emergency services – like ambulances – will not be stopped or delayed.
The Centre and the farmer unions are slated to hold the sixth round of talks tomorrow as previous discussions failed to end the deadlock.
Bharat Bandh 2020: Latest developments
- Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said they have a meeting with the Home Minister Amit Shah at 7 pm today. They are going to Singhu Border now and from there they will go to meet the home minister.
- The ‘Bharat Bandh’ call given by farmer unions failed to evoke much response in Himachal Pradesh, with most shops and business establishments open and majority of buses operating. However, the Congress and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) held separate dharnas on the road in state capital Shimla and other districts. In Shimla, most of the shops were open on Mall road, middle and lower bazaar and other areas.
- Workers of the AICCTU, CPI and student organisations blocked a highway in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district to extend their support to the Bharat Bandh called by farmers demanding repeal of the Centre’s argi laws. The volunteers from the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Communist Party of India, Satyashodhak Vidyarthi Sangatana, Students Federation of India and other associations were later detained by the police.
- No one is supporting the Bandh in Bengaluru and other parts of the state. The State and Centre is pro-farmer. PM Modi 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, Karnataka CM B.S. Yediyurappa said.
- A nationwide strike called by farmer unions against the Centre’s agri laws was underway on Tuesday with rousing speeches and sloganeering at Delhi’s border points amid tight security arrangements, even as most of the city’s markets remained open.
- Normal life remained unaffected in Meghalaya on Tuesday amid the ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by the farmers’ unions against the Centre’s farms laws. Shops and markets were open in the state and both private and public vehicles plied in the streets as usual.
- Railway tracks, highways and roads across Bihar were teeming with supporters of the ‘Bharat Bandh’, which affected normal life in the state on Tuesday with the opposition parties extending support to the protest led by the farmers’ unions against the Centre’s farm laws. Police were deployed in large numbers across the state to ensure that the movement of essential goods and services remained unhindered.
- Bharat Bandh: Farmers block Delhi-Meerut highway: Farmers protesting the farm laws have blocked Delhi-Meerut highway on Tuesday amid “Bharat Bandh” – a nationwide shutdown called by farmers against the Centre’s new farm laws.
- Terming Bharat bandh called by farmers against the new Agri laws as ‘apolitical bandh,’ Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday reiterated the Shiv Sena’s support to the bandh and said that if the central leadership has a heart than they should go and talk to farmers.
- 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.
- Paramilitary forces have issued detailed instructions for their troops regarding Bharat Bandh and asked them not to remove body protectors and to exercise maximum restraint while dealing with the situation.
- Members of a farmers’ organisation on Tuesday staged a ‘rail roko’ in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district as part of the Bharat Bandh called by agitating farmer unions to press for repeal of the Centre’s agri laws.
- All examinations scheduled for Tuesday, under Osmania University’s jurisdiction have been postponed in view of Bharat Bandh called by protesting farmers, the university administration said.
- The Delhi Police on Tuesday beefed up security at all border points and made arrangements to maintain law and order across the city, including market places, in view of the ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by farmer unions against the Centre’s new agri laws, officials said.
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the administration and police officers to make adequate arrangements and ensure that the common people do not face any inconvenience during the “Bharat Bandh” call for Tuesday given by farmers agitating against the new agricultural sector laws.
- 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.
- 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.
- In the wake of Bharat Bandh today, buses of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) will not ply till 1 pm in the entire state on Tuesday, said state Agriculture Minister Kurasala Kannababu on Monday.
- Patrolling will be done in Mumbai during the Bharat Bandh on Tuesday so that no untoward incident takes place, said DCP S Chaitanya. The DCP said, “600 additional police personnel have been deployed in the city to avoid any unrest in the city. Further, we have deployed nine State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) platoons for safety purposes.”
- “The bandh will be observed throughout Tuesday, but the ‘chakka jam’ (road blockade) will be on only till 3 pm,” said Darshan Pal, Punjab unit president of the Krantikari Kisan Union said on Monday.
- Odisha’s ruling BJD on Monday maintained silence on the Bharat Bandh on new farm laws and preferred to resolve the farmers’ issues through dialogue
- On December 7, Opposition parties except for Trinamool Congress (TMC) lent their support to the Bharat Bandh’ called by farmers’ unions in protest against the new farm laws introduced by the central government.
- 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.
- The Aam Aadmi Party said it will hold a peaceful demonstration in the national capital.
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