Amidst violent clashes between protesting farmers and security forces during the first day of the ‘Dilli Chalo‘ march on Tuesday, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has appealed to all like-minded farmer organizations to join and participate in the Gramin Bharat Bandh on February 16.
The Gramin Bandh, organized by the SKM and central trade unions, is scheduled from 6 am to 4 pm on February 16. Additionally, farmers will engage in extensive chakka jams on main roads nationwide from 12 pm to 4 pm on Friday, as reported by Indian Express. Most state and national highways in Punjab will remain closed for four hours on Friday.
Demands
The demands for the Bharat Bandh mirror those of the farmer unions orchestrating the ‘Dilli Chalo’ movement. The unions behind the Gramin Bharat Bandh are advocating for pensions for farmers, MSP for crops, reinstatement of the old pension scheme, and the repeal of amended labor laws, as reported by IE. Additionally, their demands encompass issues such as opposing privatization of PSUs, preventing workforce contractualization, ensuring guaranteed employment, among others.
Services Impacted
As a result of the bandh, transportation, agricultural activities, MNREGA rural works, private offices, village shops, and rural industrial and service sector institutions will be closed on February 16.
Dr. Darshan Pal, a member of the SKM National Coordination Committee, informed IE that on this day, villages will refrain from all agricultural activities, MNREGA, and rural works. No farmer, agricultural worker, or rural worker will engage in work on that day. However, he clarified that emergency services such as ambulance operations, newspaper distribution, weddings, medical shops, and students going for board exams will not be affected by the strike.
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