Fruit growers in Kashmir join Bharat Bandh call by farmers

At Sopore fruit mandi, the traders had shut their shops to extend their support to the Bharat Bandh call

Fruit growers and farmer unions in Kashmir Tuesday joined Bharat Bandh called by farmers who are seeking the repeal of three recent farm laws which they say are against their interests.

Reports said the fruit growers and traders shut all the activities on Tuesday, especially in the fruit markets across the Valley in support of the bandh. At Sopore fruit mandi, the second-largest in Asia after Azadpur in Delhi, the traders had shut their shops to extend their support to the Bharat Bandh call.

President of fruit growers and dealers association of fruit mandi Sopore, Fayaz Ahmad Malik said, “In support of bandh call of farmers we closed all the activities today. We appeal to the Central government that in view of the sentiments of farmers the newly-framed farm laws should be rolled back immediately.”

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Bashir Ahmad Basheer, Chairman Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union (KVFGU), which is an Umbrella Body of all Fruit Associations of Kashmir said there is an apprehension right now across India that the new farm laws will have serious ramifications.

“Kashmir’s horticulture is the mainstay of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy and our eight lakh people are directly involved with it. With the implementation of these new laws, farmers will indirectly become employees of corporates who would drive the sector as per their whims and wishes,” he said while extending full support to the Bharat Bandh call.

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The fruit season in Kashmir is at its peak and growers after harvest sell thousands of boxes in the fruit mandis which have been established in the Valley at different places.

Elsewhere, in solidarity with the farmers protesting against “anti-farmer” laws, J&K Kissan Tehreek members joined nation-wide Bharat Bandh and held protest rallies across the union territory on Tuesday.

A spokesperson of Tehreek said while maintaining social distancing norms, its members held demonstrations against the “anti-farmer approach” of the BJP government.