Protesting farmers call for 'Bharat Bandh' on December 8, say will intensify agitation if demands not met

Ahead of their talks with the Modi government, agitating farmers on Friday toughened their stand for the repeal of the farm laws and gave a call for a nationwide shutdown on Tuesday even as Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar pinned hopes on a resolution to the deadlock.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha leaders held a series of meetings throughout Friday to deliberate on the government’s offer for eight amendments to the three farm laws and consider relaxation to the punishment for stubble burning but decided to stick to their demand for the repeal of the three laws.

“We will intensify the agitation in the days to come. Our program to burn effigies of the Modi government and corporate leaders will go as planned on Saturday,” Harinder Singh Lakhowal, General Secretary of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal), told reporters in Delhi on behalf of the protestors.

He said that sportspersons and prominent personalities will return their state honours on Monday and farmers would stop the collection of toll on highways across the country on December 8 as part of the ‘Bharat Bandh’.

Opposition parties such as Congress and Trinamool Congress have mounted pressure on the government with demands for convening a short session to repeal the farm laws, while leaders of 10 trade unions and Supreme Court Bar Association backed the farmers' protests.

The farmer leaders are scheduled to meet a three-member ministerial team led by Tomar on Saturday afternoon as part of the talks to address their concerns over the farm sector reforms unveiled by the Centre.

“Our only demand during the meeting with the government on December 5 will be a complete rollback of the three laws,” Lakhowal said.

A series of meetings were also held by Tomar, including one with Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, to prepare draft amendments to the three farm laws as discussed with the farmer leaders on Thursday.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the umbrella body of the protesting organisations, have called upon farmers from neighbouring states to march to Delhi from Jaipur and Agra and block highways.

RSS-affiliated Bhartiya Kisan Sangh said that it is in favour of the purchase of farm commodities at minimum support price in APMC as well as private mandis, but had stayed away from the farmers’ agitation as it has turned violent.

“We are sure things will reach to some conclusion on Saturday,” Tomar told CNN-News18.