Bharat Bandh: Delhi police shuts down traffic movement from UP towards Ghazipur

Considering the call for Bharat Bandh today, September 27, Delhi Traffic Police informed that the traffic movement from Uttar Pradesh to Ghazipur has been closed. A coalition of farmers' unions, led by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), has called for a nationwide strike that will be observed from 6 am to 4 pm on September 27, to mark the first anniversary of the implementation of three farm laws. 

Bharat Bandh

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha informed that during the protest period, all the government and private offices, shops, commercial establishments, educational institutes, and industries will be closed across the country. But, all the emergency facilities will remain open including hospitals, medical stores, relief & rescue work.

The Bharat Bandh is organized with the support of more than 500 farmer organizations, 15 trade unions, political parties, six state governments, and other sections of society. Some of the state governments who have extended their support to the protest include Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Punjab, Jharkhand, and Andhra Pradesh. 

Currently, left parties like the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, All India Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party have confirmed their support to the Bharath Bandh protest. While even the other parties including Indian National Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal (Secular), Bahujan Samaj Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, SAD-Sanyukt, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Swaraj India have voted in favor of the strike.

Farmers protest

In September 2020, the three farm laws, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, were given assent by the President Ram Nath Kovind. But, the country farmers have been protesting for a long time at different locations to legalize MSP for all crops and remove the three farm laws. But, the government has stated that making Minimum Support Price (MSP) legal for all crops will put a burden of Rs 17 lakh crore on the government exchequer annually. 

 (With ANI input)

(Image: PTI)