Haryana farmers, commission agents back Bharat Bandh against farm reform bills

Farmer organisations in Haryana are also considering blocking roads and rail transport in the state.

Despite the passage of agriculture reform bills in Parliament, the protests in Haryana continue with several organizations gearing up to support the Bharat Bandh call on September 25.

Various farmer associations are planning to join the Bharat Bandh call given for September 25.(PTI Photo)

Farmer leaders said that several farmer organizations like Bharatiya kisan union (BKU), all India farmers union (AIFU), all India kisan sangharsh coordination committee (AIKSCC), all India kisan mahasangh (AIKM) have come on a common platform for the nationwide shutdown.

Farmer leaders in Haryana are considering blocking the rail and road traffic in various districts of the state on the day, said leaders familiar with the developments.

Farmer union leaders, including the BKU (Charuni) and BKU (Tikait) were holding meetings with leaders of different organizations like Ahritia’s (commission agents) association, transporters and shopkeepers to support the Bharat Bandh by keeping their shops shut from 10am to 4 pm. They claimed that all the mandis in the state had decided to remain shut and there will be no business on Friday.

“In Haryana we have asked the farmers organizations, ahrtias and transporters to support the Bharat Bandh against the three agriculture bills passed by the centre by blocking the roads and taking out protest march in all the districts of the state,” said a BKU (Charuni) leader, who didn’t wish to be named.

On reports that farmers may also block the railway lines, he said, “This is not yet confirmed where we will block the roads or railway lines but the protest will be successful as we have got huge support from several farmer organisations and ahrtia associations of the state”.

BKU (Tikait) state president Ratan Mann said, “We will support the Bharat Bandh call for the fight of farmers of the country. The farmers and ahrtias will be on roads against the bills on Friday”.

Mann said that they are also requesting the shopkeepers, trade unions and employees unions to join the protests to protect the interests of the farmers and their coming generations.

This will be the third such protest in the state in the past two weeks after the first protest was held in Pipli of Kurukshetra on September 10.

The district administrations have been put on alert and deputy magistrates will be appointed to monitor the situation. “We will ensure that the protests remain peaceful and the movement of traffic on important roads like NH 44 does not get affected,” said Karnal deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav.

Farmers organizations are demanding amendments in the agriculture bills to provide a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP).

The BJP led Union government has assured farmers that the legislations are in their interest and the MSP regime is not being dismantled. Members of the ruling BJP were also taking out tractor rallies in their respective areas to tell the farmers that the legislations will not have any impact on the old mandi and MSP system but will give them greater freedom to discover the best price for their produce.