The deadlock between the protesting farmers and federal government continues despite three rounds of meetings.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) coalition of more than 40 farmers' unions called on Friday for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ (nationwide shutdown) in support of the farmers protesting at Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana.
SKM, one of the major organisations that led 2020-21 farmers’ protest, has requested all like-minded farmers’ unions to show solidarity with the ‘Bharat Bandh’.
The nationwide shutdown will be from 6 am to 4 pm (IST).
According to media reports, the impact of the ‘Bharat Bandh’ was mainly in the rural areas. Bus services in Rohtak, Jhajjar, Hisar, Jind and some other parts of Haryana are halted as buses remained parked at depots while passengers faced problems.
Leader of roadways union in Rohtak Jai Kumar Dahiya told reporters that buses would not run on Friday in support of the farmers' protests
Meanwhile, farmers’ organisations have also called on farmers to suspend all agricultural activities during the shutdown and block roads across country in support of the protest.
However, emergency and other services services such as ambulances, hospitals, pharmacies, schools and weddings will not be affected during the shutdown.
Meanwhile, the SKM has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a law guaranteeing a minimum support price (MSP) for crops based on recommendations by Swaminathan Commission, a legal guarantee of procurement, a loan waiver, no hikes in the electricity tariff and no smart meters, among other demands.
Farmers Meet Minisiters
The farmers’ organisations and a government delegation, including three federal ministers, held a third round of talks in Chandigarh on Thursday evening. However, the talks remained inconclusive and both sides agreed to meet again on Sunday.
The meeting was held at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Chandigarh. Punjab state chief Bhagwant Mann also attended
The government delegation included Federal Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai while the famers’ organisations were represented by SKM (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher.
After meeting for more than five hours, the farmers’ organisations said that they will not make any fresh attempt to march towards Delhi but will continue to stage protest at Shambhu border.