BKU (Rajewal) led-faction gives call for Bharat Bandh on Feb 16

BKU (Dakounda) president, Buta Singh Burjgill, Krantikari Kisan Union Punjab Raminder Singh Patiala, and other farm leaders were also present. At least 36 bodies are supporting the protest.

Bhartiya Kisan Union (Rajewal) president Balbir Singh Rajewal on Friday announced that mobilisation is going on for the February 16 Bharat bandh called by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).

Members of Farm unions during press conference at Kisan Bhawan in Chandigarh on Friday. (Keshav Singh/HT)

Addressing a press conference here, Rajewal clarified that his group has no connection with the call given by the other section for a protest march to Delhi on February 13 and added that an appeal was made to the SKM (non-political) which is spearheading the march to make a joint effort, but they refused to come on a common platform.

According to him the farmers and labourers today marched at the tehsil centres across the state and appealed to make the bandh a success. “Arhtiya associations, traders’ bodies, truck unions, private bus operators and employee unions have assured full support to the bandh,” he added.

BKU (Dakounda) president, Buta Singh Burjgill, Krantikari Kisan Union Punjab Raminder Singh Patiala, and other farm leaders were also present. At least 36 bodies are supporting the protest.

Reacting to the Central government’s announcement of a policy of public-private partnership in the post-harvest operations of the crop, for collection, storage, supply chain and processing, the farmer leaders termed the policy an attempt as a back-door entry for the corporate sector in the agrarian sector.