Opposition extends support to farmers’ Dec 8 ‘Bharat Bandh’
Srinagar: Main opposition parties of India have extended support to farmers’ Bharat Bandh call for December 08.
In a signed statement, the leaders of various parties said, “We the undersigned leaders of political parties extend our solidarity with the ongoing massive struggle by the Indian farmers organised by various Kissan (farmers’) organisations from across the country and extend our support to their call for a Bharat Bandh on December 8.”
The leaders extended their support to the demand of the farmers regarding withdrawal of “retrograde” agri-marketing laws and the Electricity Amendment Bill.
“These new Agri-laws passed in the Parliament in a brazen anti-democratic manner preventing a structured discussion and voting, threaten India’s food security, will destroy Indian agriculture and our farmers, lay the basis for the abolishment of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and mortgage Indian agriculture and our markets to the caprices of multi-national agri-business corporates and domestic corporate,” the leaders said.
They said that the central government must adhere to the democratic processes and norms and meet the legitimate demands of our ‘Kissans-Annadatas’.
The statement has by singed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, DMK president M K Stalin, NCP president Sharad Pawar, RJP leader Tejaswi Yadav, PAGD chairman Farooq Abdullah, SP president Akhilesh Yadav, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI secretary D Raja, general secretary CPI(ML) Dipankar Bhattacharya, Debabarata Biswas, general secretary AIFB and Manoj Bhattacharya, general secretary RSP.
Pertinently, the Trinamool Congress, RJD and the Left parties, besides a joint platform of ten 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.
TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said the party rank and file would actively participate in the bandh to ensure it was a success, according to an official statement.
Rao justified the support, stating that the farmers are legally agitating against the farm bills enacted in September and recalled his party’s opposition to the legislation in Parliament.
Actor Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) also extended support to the protest by farmers.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that all AAP workers across the country will join the nationwide strike and appealed to all citizens to support the farmers.
“The Aam Aadmi Party fully supports the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call made by farmers on December 8. AAP workers across the country will support it peacefully. There is an appeal to all countrymen that everyone should support the farmers and participate in it,” Kejriwal tweeted.
The joint forum of trade unions that has supported the farmers’ stir includes Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) and Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC).
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