New Delhi: Farmers and workers have called for a sectoral industrial strike and Gramin Bharat Bandh on Friday.
The protest will take place from 6 am to 4 pm across the country. Most of Punjab’s state and national roadways will be closed for four hours on Friday as the agitating farmers are expected to join massive chakka jams from 12 pm to 4 pm.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a non-political farmers’ body, has urged like-minded farmer organisations to unite and take part in the Bharat Bandh called by the central trade unions. Joint statements have also been issued by non-farmers appealing people from all walks of life to come ahead in support of the farmers and the workers.
Additionally, a number of public intellectuals and artists have issued a joint statement in support of the strike.
According to India.com, various private and government offices, and village shops may remain shut on Friday. Besides, transportation, agricultural activities, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) rural works, and rural industrial and service sector institutions are likely to remain closed. “We will ensure passage to emergency services of ambulances, death, marriage, medical shops, newspaper supply, students going for board exams and passengers to the airport,” SKM, National Coordination Committee (NCC), member Darshan Pal was quoted as saying.
He added that the supply and purchase of vegetables, and other crops will remain suspended.
The farmers are demanding a Minimum Support Price for crops based on the Swaminathan formula of C2 50 (input cost of capital 50 per cent), legal guarantee of procurement, debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff and no smart metres. They have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding their demands.
Among their other demands are free 300 units of power for farming for domestic use and shops, comprehensive crop insurance, and a hike in pensions to Rs 10,000 per month.
Reports further said that the Centre is trying to negotiate with the farmers and after two failed rounds of dialogue on February 8 and 12, another is scheduled on Thursday. Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai are scheduled to meet the farmer leaders in Chandigarh at 5 pm on Thursday.
Many farmers from Punjab are camping at Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana an want to march towards Delhi to press for their demands.
Notably, the Odisha state committee of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) has also called upon the people to make the all-India strike against anti-labour policies of the Centre on February 16 successful.
