States told to maintain social distancing; CAIT, All India Transporters body say markets to remain open, transport service intact across nation
Ahead of Tuesday’s Bharat Bandh call given by farmers unions and supported by 22 political parties, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked all States and Union Territories to tighten security while asserting that peace and tranquility must be maintained.
While the Centre is firm on its stance on the reform laws, farmers want them rolled back as they fear they will be at the mercy of corporates to sell their produce.
In a countrywide advisory, the MHA also said the State Governments and UT administrations must ensure that the Covid-19 guidelines issued with regard to health and social distancing are strictly followed. The States and UTs were told that peace and tranquility must be maintained during the Bharat Bandh and precautionary measures taken so that no untoward incident takes place anywhere in the country.
The Centre’s attempts to resolve the farmers’ agitation through dialogue is making little headway with a few of the farmer unions remaining adamant on their demand to repeal the new agriculture laws.
The Bharat Bandh, called by the farmers’ unions who have been protesting against the three farm laws, got support from trade unions, transporters, bank unions and political parties including the Congress, NCP, DMK, SP, TRS and Left.
In a statement of support for the strike on Sunday, the Opposition parties said, “These new farm laws passed in Parliament in a brazen (and) anti-democratic manner (by) preventing a structured discussion and voting, threaten India’s food security, destroy Indian agriculture and our farmers, lay the basis for the abolishment of MSP and mortgage Indian agriculture and our markets to the caprices of multi-national agri-business corporates.”
Meanwhile, traders’ body CAIT and the All India Transporters Welfare Association on Monday said markets across the country including in Delhi will remain open on Tuesday and transport services will also remain operative, notwithstanding the Bharat Bandh call given by protesting farmers. In Mumbai, BEST buses, taxis, auto will continue to ply on the road on Tuesday.
Ahead of Bharat Bandh call on Tuesday, the Gujarat Government imposed Section 144 of CrPC in the State. The police would not allow any outfit or any group to forcefully impose bandh in the State. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused that some political parties are trying to spoil the atmosphere in the country, “especially the present stand taken by them on model APMC Act shows their double standards”. Attacking the Opposition parts at a hurriedly convened Press conference at his official residence in Lucknow he said that the parties which have backed the Bharat Bandh call on Tuesday “should apologise before the nation”.
After five rounds of talks between the Centre and the farmers’ unions failed to end the impasse, the two sides are again set to meet on December 9, a day after the countrywide strike. Talks between the Government and protesting farmers remained inconclusive on Saturday even after five rounds of discussions as union leaders stuck to their demand for the repeal of the new farm laws and went on a “maun vrat” seeking a clear “yes or no” reply, forcing the Centre to call for another meeting on December 9 to resolve the deadlock.
Tuesday, 08 December 2020 | PNS | New Delhi
