Bharat Bandh on March 26: What will be affected, what won't be
Farmer unions have called for a Bharat Bandh on March 26, when their protest at Delhi borders against the Centre's three new farm laws completes four months. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a front of protesting farmer unions, has appealed to the citizens of the country to make the bandh a complete success. According to a statement released by the morcha, farmers have been protesting at Delhi borders for the last four months and instead of accepting their demands, the government is discrediting them completely.
Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country. The protesting farmers, on the other hand, have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and do away with the "mandi" (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
WHAT WILL BE AFFECTED, WHAT WON'T BE
According to the SKM, all road and rail transport will be closed across the country on March 26, from 6 am to 6 pm.
Further, it said that markets and other public places will also be closed in the country. However, it added that this is not necessary for the places where elections are going to be held.
According to farmer leaders, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha's call for bandh had found support in trade unions from organized and unorganized sectors, traders and arhtiya associations, workers' unions, including agricultural workers unions, transporter associations, teachers' associations, youth and students associations.
In view of Bharat Bandh, universities and colleges of Odisha Higher Education Department will remain closed on March 26, the State Department of Higher Education has said.
READ MORE: Farmers may have to enter Delhi, breach barricades again: Tikait ahead of Bharat Bandh
READ MORE: Farmers call for Bharat bandh on March 26 to mark 4 months of agitation against farm laws
RELATED VIDEO
