‘Bharat Bandh’ on Dec 8: Services likely to be hit

New Delhi, Dec 07: Farmer groups, camping at various Delhi border points for over a week, have called for Bharat Bandh on Tuesday to protest against three recently enacted agriculture-related legislations. The nationwide strike will begin at 11 am and go on till 3 pm and emergency service will not be affected.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting against the new farm laws which they claim will dismantle the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporate houses.

Several rounds of talks between the Centre and farmers have failed to break the deadlock.

Bharat Bandh on December 8: Services likely to be hit

• Transport facilities and supplies of essentials like vegetables and fruits are likely to be affected in Delhi.
• All fruit and vegetable mandis in Delhi, including the Azad Nagar mandi will remain closed.
• Delhi's Connaught Place market will also remain functional.
• Banking services will also likely be affected as several bank unions have expressed solidarity with farmers.
• The BEST buses in Mumbai will continue to operate normally.
• Emergency and ambulance services, hospital OPDs, admissions to hospital, medicine (chemist) shops and other essential/emergency services will not be affected.
• However, other key services such as milk or vegetable supplies could be disrupted because of the strike.
• Ambulances and wedding processions will be allowed to pass during the 'Bharat Bandh'.

Opposition parties, including many regional ones, decided to lend support to the protesting farmers.

Top political leaders such as Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP's Sharad Pawar, CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury, DMK's M K Stalin and PAGD's Farooq Abdullah issued a joint statement in support of the bandh.