A joint front of protesting farmer groups on December 4 rejected the Centre’s proposals to amend the three contentious agriculture laws and called for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ today to widen the agitation. The front reiterated the farmers’ demand for a total repeal of the three Central laws.
Elaborate traffic and security arrangements have been put in place across the national capital ahead of the Bandh, with Delhi Police warning of strict action against those who attempt to disrupt normalcy. In U.P., Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who addressed all administrative and police officials through video conferencing on Monday, asked them not to compromise with peace and order at any cost, an official release said. Haryana Police has issued a travel advisory stating that people may face traffic blockages on various roads and highways of the State.
Farmers’ union leaders have said the strike will be effective from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. but no kind of essential or emergency services will be disrupted.
Here are the live updates:
Delhi
Some auto, taxi unions join strike
A section of auto and taxi unions on Tuesday joined the Bharat Bandh and decided to keep their vehicles off the roads here.
Kamaljeet Gill, President of Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi, which represents drivers working with cab aggregators, claimed most of its members were on strike. “There are around 4 lakh app based cabs in Delhi-NCR. Most of our members are on strike,” he said.
President of Delhi Taxi Tourist Transporters Association, Sanjay Samrat said drivers associated with several unions including Delhi State Taxi Cooperative Society and Kaumi Ekta Welfare Association were on strike.
– PTI
Punjab
Shops, commercial establishments closed in Punjab
Shops and commercial establishments remained shut at many places in Punjab on Tuesday morning in view of the Bharat Bandh. Petroleum dealers in the State closed filling stations to back the call for the nationwide strike. There are over 3,400 fuel pumps in Punjab.
Farmers started assembling on highways and other key roads in both states from the morning.
“We will hold a protest peacefully,” a farmer said in Mohali. In Ludhiana, a group of protesters squatted on a road to express solidarity with the protesting farmers.
– PTI
Chhattisgarh
Shops shut, public transport hit in Chhattisgarh
Major cities in Chhattisgarh, including capital Raipur, wore a deserted look on Tuesday morning with most of the business establishments remaining closed as part of the Bharat Bandh.
Leaders of the ruling Congress, including MLAs and workers, have come out on streets at many places in Raipur and are appealing people to express solidarity with farmers.
Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) chief Mohan Markam and the party workers will visit Donde Khurd village in Raipur district to support the farmers’ agitation, a party spokesperson said.
– PTI
West Bengal
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 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.
– PTI
Bihar
Opposition parties block national highways in Bihar
Opposition parties in Bihar came out in support of farmer’s Bharat Bandh call and blocked national highways and roads across the State and stalled vehicular traffic.
The protesters blocked National Highways 30, 31, 83 and 110 at different places in the state and stalled vehicular traffics. In Bhojpur, Jehanabad, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Kishanganj, Vaishali, Aurangabad, Darbhanga, Khagaria and at other places protestors have stalled public transport causing inconvenience to commuters and raising slogans against new farm reform laws.
The Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal, Jan Adhikar Party (Democratic) and other party leaders and supporters have also come out on the roads of State capital, Patna and blocked roads in support of farmer’s call for Bharat Bandh.
– Amarnath Tewary
Haryana
Traffic on highway from Zirakpur to Ambala and Rajpura to Ambala is diverted due to blockages in Punjab. It is likely to remain diverted till about 3 p.m. today, says Additional DGP (law and order), Haryana, Navdeep Virk.
– Ashok Kumar
Odisha
Bharat Bandh evokes total response in Odisha
The bandh call evoked total response in Odisha. As the call was supported by Congress, Left parties and various farmer organizations, normal life was affected across the State. Roads wore a deserted look while vehicles were off the road.
Protesters with their respective party flags in their hands were seen roaming on the road. In view of the Bharat Bandh, Odisha government had on Monday announced that offices would remain closed on Tuesday. Agitators also staged a ‘rail roko’.
At Mastercanteen Square, a central Bhubaneswar location, saw hundreds of farmers and members of political such as Congress, CPI (M), CPI and Samajwadi Party shouted against the NDA government for coming up with the new farm laws.
– Satyasundar Barik
Karnataka
Bandh call gets good response
Congress MLAs and MLCs protest in support of farmers, at Gandhi statue in Vidhana Soudha before going to Assembly and Council sessions, during the Bharat Bandh, in Bengaluru on December 08, 2020.
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar
The call for Bharat Bandh evoked good response in Hubballi, Dharwad and other taluks of Dharwad district with various organisations staging protests and road blocks from early morning.
However, the Bandh call evoked lukewarm response in Haveri and Gadag districts and life appeared normal in most of the places.
In Hubballi and Dharwad, protesters from various organisations including political parties in the Opposition resorted to early morning protests and effigy burning.
Some of the protesters had altercations with the Police after they tried to stop protestors from stopping public transport services. The protesters, however, did not budge and managed to send the buses back into the depots.
– Girish Pattanashetti
Delhi
Protesting farmers prepare to block roads, occupy toll plazas in Delhi
Protesting farmers started preparations to block key roads and occupy toll plazas as part of the Bharat Bandh. 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 a.m. to 3 pm. as part of their stir. Emergency services will be exempted during the bandh.
“We are standing by our demand that we want a complete repeal of the three laws and will not accept any cosmetic changes. The nature of these laws are such that amendments will not make any difference. Today we have called a bandh, and if our demands are not met, we are ready to take our agitation to the next level,” Mr. Mollah said.
– PTI
Telangana
CITU stages bike rally
CITU stages a bike rally as part of the Bharat Bandh at Sangareddy District, Telangana, on Tuesday, December 8, 2020.
| Photo Credit: Mohd. Arif
Tamil Nadu
Heavy police deployment at Salem
Heavy police deployed to control the protesters during Bharat bandh, at Salem in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, 08 December 2020.
| Photo Credit: E. Lakshmi Narayanan
Karnataka
Normal life mostly unaffected in Bengaluru
Usually very busy Avenue road with relatively fewer number people coming to market, during the bandh in Bengaluru on December 08, 2020.
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar
The Bharath Band has little affected normal life in the city. While all public transport is plying on the roads, very few commercial establishments have shut shop.
However, the city is rocked by several protests by farmers, Kannada organisations and opposition Congress in the city. Farmers’ protests are on at Mysore Bank circle and Maurya Circle in the central business district. A large rally of farmers and Kannada organisations is expected to start from Town Hall at around 11 am. Congress is holding a sit-in protest at Vidhana Soudha led by leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Siddaramaiah.
– Aditya Bharadwaj
Maharashtra
Anna Hazare on fast to support farmers
Social activist Anna Hazare sat on a day-long hunger strike to support agitating farmers who have called Bharat Bandh demanding repeal of the Centre’s agri laws. Mr.Hazare also said the agitation should spread across the country so that the government comes under pressure to act in the interests of cultivators.
In a recorded message, he appreciated farmers’ protests at the borders of Delhi saying no violence has taken place in the last 10 days of the agitation.
“I appeal to the people of the country that the agitation which is going on in Delhi should spread across the country. The situation needs to created to create pressure on the government, and to achieve this, farmers need to hit streets. But no one should resort to violence,” said Mr. Hazare, who began his fast in Ralegan Siddhi village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
– PTI
Maharashtra
Farmers stop train in Maharashtra
Members of a farmers’ organisation staged a ‘rail roko’ in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district as part of the Bharat Bandh.
Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna members stopped the Chennai-Ahmedabad Navjeevan Express at Malkapur station in Buldhana district while protesting against the farm laws. Police detained Sanghatana leader Ravikant Tupkar and his supporters over the incident, after removing them from the rail tracks, an official said.
Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) in Navi Mumbai, Nashik, Dhule, Pune and Solapur are closed during the bandh.
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses are plying as scheduled during the Bharat Bandh, a senior official of the state-run undertaking said. The buses will continue to ply unless there are law and order problems due to the shutdown, he added. The All India Motor Transport Congress, an apex body of trucker outfits, has joined the bandh and has suspended operations on Tuesday.
– PTI
Gujarat
Protesters block three highways in Gujarat
Protesters blocked three highways in rural Gujarat by placing burning tyres on roads on Tuesday morning as part of the Bharat Bandh, affecting vehicular traffic for some time.
A highway connecting Ahmedabad to Viramgam was blocked near Sanand by protesters from the Congress party who placed burning tyres on roads, causing a traffic jam. Another group of protesters blocked a national highway in Vadodara. In another incident, a highway connecting Bharuch and Dahej in Bharuch districtwas similarly blocked near Nandelav by protesters.
Police detained protesters in Ahmedabad and brought the situation under control, an official said.
The state government has imposed section 144 of the CrPC, which bans assembly of more than four persons, in view of the Bharat Bandh.
– PTI
Delhi
Delhi Police beefs up security at border points, markets among other places
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, officials said.
“The security across the national capital, especially on bordering areas, has been beefed up,” a senior police officer said. He said there is maximum deployment of Delhi Police personnel in the city to ensure normal movement of people on the roads so that no one faces any kind of inconvenience.
Taking to Twitter, DCP (traffic western range) said, “Tikri, Jharoda Borders, Dhansa are closed for any Traffic Movement. Badusarai Border is open only for light motor vehicle like Cars and two wheelers. Jhatikara Border is open only for two wheeler traffic @dtptraffic.”
In another tweet, the police said available open borders to Haryana are Daurala, Kapashera, Rajokri NH 8, Bijwasan, Palam Vihar and Dundahera.
– PTI
Telangana
TRS, Congress, CPI(M) stage rallies in Telangana
Telangana. TRS leaders stage a dharna in front of a bus depot at Sangareddy district in Telangana.
| Photo Credit: Mohd. Arif
Bharat Bandh in undivided Nalgonda in Telangana is being observed strictly. NH-65 that connects Hyderabad-Vijayawada, the Narketpally-Addanki State highway, the NH-163 between Hyderabad and Warangal, wear a deserted look.
Meanwhile, TRS, Congress and CPI(M) workers have staged rallies in the State.
Rachakonda police commissionerate, that administers Bhongir zone of Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, issues ‘Bandh advisory’.
“It is appealed to everyone to maintain peace. Action will be taken against those who indulge in any forcible closure/ stoppages.”
– B. Pradeep
Tamil Nadu
Business as usual at Koyambedu market
Business as usual at the Koyembedu vegetable market during the bandh call given by farmers’ associations on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: K. Pichumani
Andhra Pradesh
CPI stages ‘rasta roko’ in A.P.
Cadres and leaders of CPI staging a ‘rasta roko’ near Maddilapalem bus stop as part of Bharat Bandh in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak
Railways fears blockades in 16 States; warns of LWE elements joining strike
Anticipating rail blockades in 16 States, the Railways has issued directives for maintaining law and order in trains and station premises, cautioning zonal railways against pro-left wing extremists participating in today’s ‘Bharat Bandh’.
Director general, Railway Protection Force (RPF), Arun Kumar has asked general managers of zonal railways to keep vigil to contain the impact of the nationwide strike called by farmer groups against the three agri laws.
The Railways’ two biggest unions, AIRF and NFIR have extended their support to the bandh and are planning to hold rallies and demonstrations.
– PTI
Home Ministry issues advisory for ‘Bharat bandh’
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued an advisory to all States and Union Territories that no untoward incident should occur during Tuesday’s all-India strike called by farmers’ union. It asked them to maintain peace and tranquility and ensure that all COVID-19 guidelines are strictly followed.
The strike call has received support from many political parties, including the Congress, DMK, NCP, SP, Trinamool Congress and the Left parties.
The union leaders have said the strike will be effective from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. but no kind of essential or emergency services will be disrupted.
Support widens for Bharat Bandh call
Top Opposition leaders, in a joint statement on Sunday, extended support for the December 8 Bharat Bandh call by the agitating farmers and said the new farm laws would “destroy agriculture by mortgaging it to corporates”.
The joint statement was signed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, DMK president M.K. Stalin, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI’s D. Raja, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and CPI(ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya among others.
Support pouring in for ‘Bharat Bandh’, says Kisan Morcha
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha leaders on Sunday claimed that support had poured in from various political parties, transport unions, women and students organisations and industry federations for the December 8 ‘Bharat Bandh’, which they said would be “complete” and no traffic would be allowed till 3 p.m.
The leaders, however, clarified that emergency services and wedding procession would be permitted. The supply of vegetables, fruits and milk would be hit, they said.
Farm leaders urge non-political support for Bharat bandh
as a sign of the widening support for their movement, and refuting the government’s accusation that the protests have now been hijacked by vested political interests.
“We want to thank political parties for their support, but we appeal to them to leave their own flags and banners at home, and stand solely in support of farmers,” said Krantikari Kisan Union president Darshan Pal, during a press conference called by Punjab’s farmer leaders at the Singhu border on Monday.
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