The farmers’ union has called a sectoral industrial strike and Grameen Bharat Bandh today. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has urged all like-minded farmer organisations to unite and take part in the February 16 Bharat Bandh.
The day-long protest have already begin at 6 am and will continue till 4 pm. As per the reports given by The Indian Express, the farmers will join massive chakka jams on main roads nationwide from 12 pm to 4 pm on Friday. Amid the Bharat Bandh, most of the state and national highways will be closed for four hours in Punjab today.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that various private and government offices, and village shops might remain shut on Friday. Reportedly, 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.
Fortunately, emergency services such as ambulance operations, marriage, medical shops, school, and others will not be affected during the Bharat Bandh.
Demands of Farmers
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) in their letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has demanded a Minimum Support Price for crops based on the Swaminathan formula of C2 50 (input cost of capital 50%), legal guarantee of procurement, debt waiver, and no hike in electricity tariff and no smart metres.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has also demanded free 300 units of power for farming for domestic use and shops, comprehensive crop insurance. Additionally, a hike in pensions to ₹10,000 per month among others have also been demanded by the farmers.
Meanwhile, a panel of three Union Ministers including Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai are set to meet the farmer leaders at 5 pm today.
Farmers from Punjab are camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders in order to press the Centre to accept their demands.
Ms Kalinga