Farmers’ Protest LIVE Updates: Have Stood With Farmers from Beginning, Support All Their Demands, Says Kejriwal at Singhu Border; Support Grows for Bharat Bandh Call

Kamaljeet Gill, president of Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi, comprising mainly drivers working with cab aggregators, said it will also join the strike on Tuesday. However, Rajender Soni, general secretary of Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh, and Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union said that many “important” auto, taxi and last mile vehicle driver unions will not join the strike. “We fully sympathise with the farmers struggle and support their demand. But the drivers of autos, taxis and Gramin Sewa and other last mile vehicles are already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and can not afford to strike now,” Soni said. Chandu Chaurasia, vice president of Capital Driver Welfare Association, said the demands of farmers need to be met by the government but it should not be achieved by causing inconvenience to ordinary people.

The Congress, TRS, DMK and the AAP joined other opposition parties in extending support to the Bharat Bandh on December 8 called by farmer unions which have been protesting on Delhi’s borders for 11 days demanding repeal of the Centre’s new agri-marketing laws. The Trinamool Congress, RJD and the Left parties, besides a joint platform of 10 central trade unions, had on Saturday backed the countrywide strike.

NCP chief and former union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar warned the Centre that if the deadlock continues, the agitation will not be limited to Delhi and people from across the country will stand by the protesting farmers. Expressing the Congress’ “wholehearted” support to the strike call, party spokesperson Pawan Khera said it will hold protests that day at all district and state headquarters in solidarity with the demands of the farmers.

Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, he said former party chief Rahul Gandhi, through tractor rallies, signature campaigns and Kisaan rallies, has been raising the party’s voice in support of the farmers. “All our district headquarters and Pradesh headquarters will participate in this bandh. They will hold demonstrations and ensure that the bandh is successful,” Khera said.