Bhubaneswar: The Odisha unit of Congress on Thursday announced their support to the ‘Bharat Bandh’ on March 26 (Friday), which is called by Samyukta Kisan Morcha, a coalition of farmers’ unions.
“All district presidents of our party have been directed to extend full support to the bandh call and make it successful. Congress workers will support the bandh across the state tomorrow,” said Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President.
The strike, in protest against the three contentious farm laws enacted recently, will be observed the entire day tomorrow, from 6 AM till 6 PM.
The organisation has urged citizens to help make the strike a success and honour their ‘Annadata’.
“We appeal to the people of the country to make this Bharat Bandh a success and honour their ‘Annadata’,” farmer leader Darshan Pal said.
During this time, movement of vehicles on roads and train services are likely to be affected as the agitating farmers might resort to road blockade and rail roko.
About the protest and demands
The ‘Delhi Chalo’ farmers’ protest at border points of New Delhi has gone on for more than 120 days.
Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, have been staging a sit-in protest along Delhi borders – Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur. The protest started on November 26, 2020.
The farmers are demanding a complete rollback of the new farm reform laws and a guarantee that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system will be retained. Multiple rounds of talks between the Centre and the farmers’ union leaders have ended in a stalemate. Protesting farmers fear the new laws will dismantle the MSP system and corporatise farming.
The Supreme Court had earlier ordered a stay on the implementation of these contentious laws, hoping it will end the protest. The farm union leaders have also rejected the Centre’s proposal to suspend implementation of the laws for 18 months.
On January 26, the protest turned violent when some farmers deviated from a pre-decided route for their Republic Day tractor rally and clashed with police. Some protesters scaled the ramparts of the Red Fort. Several protestors and police personnel were injured in the ensuing clashes.
