Farmer unions call for Bharat Bandh on Dec 8

New Delhi: Farmer unions on Friday decided to intensify their agitation against the farm laws calling for ‘Bharat Bandh’ on December 8 and stated that they were not satisfied with amendments being proposed by the government.

Addressing a joint press conference at Singhu Border ahead of the fifth round of talks with the government on Saturday, the leaders said the government should repeal recently enacted three farm laws.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU-Lakhowal) general secretary H S Lakhowal said they had given a call to burn effigies of Modi government on December 5. “Yesterday, we told the government that the farm laws should be withdrawn. We have given a call for Bharat Bandh on December 8,” he said.

Hannan Mollah, general secretary, All India Kisan Sabha said, “We need to take this protest forward. The government has to take back the farm laws.” Thousands of farmers



have gathered in and around Delhi to protest against the three farm laws.

On Thursday, the farmers held the fourth round of talks with the Centre and said the government had talked of some amendments to farm laws. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said after the talks that the government had no ego and it was discussing the issues raised by farmers with an open mind. “The government will discuss points that emerged at the meeting on Friday and hopes that talks will move towards finality when the next round of discussions is held on Saturday,” the Minister had said.

The farmers were protesting against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.