Hardening their position ahead of the fifth round of talks with the government, agitating farmers on Friday announced a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on December 8 and said they would occupy toll plazas on that day.
IMAGE: Farmers have their meal during their protest against the Centres new farm laws, at Singhu border in New Delhi, on Friday. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo
Addressing a press conference, farmer leader Gurnam Singh Chadoni said if the Centre does not accept their demands during Saturday’s talks, they will intensify their agitation against the new farm laws.
“In our meeting today, we have decided to give a ‘Bharat Bandh’ call on December 8 during which we will also occupy all toll plazas,” said Harvinder Singh Lakhwal, another farmer leader.
“We have planned to block all roads leading to Delhi in the coming days if new farm laws are not scrapped,” he also said.
Delhi’s border points remained choked as thousands of farmers from Haryana, Punjab, and other states held demonstrations for the ninth consecutive day, after talks with the government failed to yield any resolution on Thursday.
The farmer community has expressed apprehension that the new laws are ‘anti-farmer’, and would pave the way for dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the ‘mercy’ of big corporations.
However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.