Farmer unions call Bharat Bandh on March 26 on completion of 4 months of protest

New Delhi: Farmers’ unions have called for a nationwide strike on March 26 when their ongoing protest at Delhi borders will complete four months, news agency PTI reported. Announcing their future programmes protesting the three agriculture laws enacted by Parliament in 2020, the farmers’ unions said that some trade unions will also join them in their protest against fuel price hike on March 15.

Following Red Fort violence, which sullied the image of the so-far peaceful protest by the farmers, the farmers’ unions are focussing more on spreading their message to other states through visits, mahapanchayats etc, instead of staying put only at Delhi borders. So farmers from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh are coming to Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur protest sites, the union leaders are touring other states and some of those who have been at the sites since November-December are going back to take care of crops.

On February 26, the Confederation of All India Traders called a nationwide strike demanding a review of the provisions of the goods and services tax (GST) regime.

Recently, the farmers observed the 100th day of their ongoing protest and said the protests will go on unless the laws are repealed.

“If needed, we, on lakhs of tractors will reach Parliament to press for the repeal of the three black laws. 3,500 tractors entered Delhi on Republic Day. These were not hired tractors,” Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said in Madhya Pradesh. (Agency)