Farmer protests at Delhi borders have been on for the past few days. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and many trade unions have called for a rural Bharat Bandh on Friday (February 16). The bandh is meant to exert pressure on the Narendra Modi government to legislate a Minimum Support Price for all crops grown in India.
As per India Today, the Bharat Bandh will take place from 6 am to 4 pm. Farmers from across the country have been given a call by the rich landlords of Punjab to participate in chakka jam on main roads. They have been asked not to do cultivation and farming for the whole day.
Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait today said that highways will not be shut. "We have told people not to gather as a crowd for the bandh. We have urged people to participate voluntarily," he has been quoted as saying.
The language of the farmer leader is muted. He probably understands that the bandh is going to have no takers outside Punjab and pockets of Haryana.
In 2020, when similar protests took place, a bandh was called for. It was a huge flop everywhere, especially down South. The ruling TRS backed the farmer protests but not even a few thousand participated in the bandh at that time.
