Farmers have stopped marching because talks with the government are going well. This is good news.
Various farmers’ unions, like the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), have called for a nationwide strike, known as Gramin Bharat Bandh, on Friday, February 16, to push for their demands from the government. They want all farmer groups to join this strike, which is also supported by central trade unions.
This call for Bharat Bandh comes as farmers have been protesting in what’s called the ‘Delhi Chalo’ movement. They’ve been marching from states like Haryana and Punjab towards Delhi but have been stopped at the Haryana borders near Ambala, which is about 200 kilometers away from Delhi. Security forces in Haryana have used tear gas to try to disperse the farmers.
The SKM, which is non-political, is urging all like-minded farmer groups to join the Bharat Bandh. It’s going to be a day-long protest starting from 6 am to 4 pm. The farmers plan to block major roads across India from 12 pm to 4 pm, causing widespread disruption. In Punjab, a big portion of state and national highways will be closed for at least four hours.