TRS wades into farmers' protest row, KCR extends support to 'Bharat Bandh' on Dec 8

Telangana Chief Minister and TRS President K Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday extended the party's total support to Bharat Bandh called on December 8 by the farmers agitating against the Centre's newly enacted farm laws in Delhi. In a statement, the Chief Minister appealed to party workers to make the bandh successful in Telangana.

"CM KCR believes that the fight needs to continue until the new agricultural laws are repealed. TRS party will work for the success of Bharat Bandh and CM has requested the people of Telangana to make the bandh a success and stand for the farmers,"the statement said.

KCR supported the struggle of the farmers against the agricultural laws brought by the Centre and recalled that the TRS had also opposed the farm bills in Parliament stating that "it harms the interests of farmers". "KCR recalled and reminded that since the Farm Bills would harm the interests of the farmers, the TRS opposed them in the Parliament. KCR felt that there is a need to continue the agitation till the Farm Bills are withdrawn," the statement said.

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Bharat Bandh on Dec 8

Upping the ante, farmers protesting against the Centre's new farm laws announced a Bharat bandh on December 8 and threatened to intensify their agitation by blocking more roads leading to the national capital if the government does not accept their demands. This hardening of the stand came ahead of the fifth round of talks with the government.

Addressing a press conference later, one of the leaders Gurnam Singh Chadoni said if the Centre does not scrap the three farm laws, the agitations will intensify. He added that farmers will protest against the central government and corporate houses by burning their effigies. He also said sportspersons will return their medals on December 7 in solidarity with the farmers. 

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Centre to hold 6th round of talks on December 9

Addressing the media after the fifth round of talks with farmers unions that ended in a deadlock on Saturday, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated that the government will deliberate on all the demands of the farmers. He also announced that the next round of talks with farmer leaders will be held on December 9. 

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"On December 9, a meeting will be held again. We have told the farmers that the government will examine all their demands. It will be our attempt to reach a solution. It would have been easier for us to reach a solution if we got suggestions from farmer leaders. We will still wait for that," he added. 

READ | Farmers' Stir: Tomar Reiterates Assurance On MSP & APMC, Another Round Of Talks On Dec 9