JOIN USLeft parties, trade unions lend support to 'Bharat Bandh' call by farmers on December 8
Five Left parties and ten central trade unions on Saturday pledged support for the protesting farmers' call for a 'Bharat Bandh' on December 8 and demanded the scrapping of three controversial farm sector laws.
In a joint statement, five Left parties -- CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), Forward Bloc and RSP -- asked other political parties and other groups, who stand with the farmers' cause to extend their support and cooperation to the December 8 bandh call.
The statement signed by General Secretaries Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI), Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI-ML), Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc) and Manoj Bhattacharya (RSP) also condemned "the RSS/BJP’s malicious campaign, on preposterous charges, against the struggle of our 'annadatas' (food providers) to safeguard Indian agriculture and the country’s food security".
The reference was to a section calling the protesting farmers as 'Khalistanis' and 'anti-nationals'.
"The Left parties extend their solidarity with and support to the ongoing massive agitation by Kisan organisations from all over the country against the new agri laws.
The Left parties extend their support to the call given by them for a Bharat Bandh on December 8," the statement said.
It said the Left parties support the farmers' demand for the scrapping of the three farm sector laws and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
The Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and independent Sector sectoral federations and associations also pledged their support for the December 8 agitation.
A statement issued by the unions -- INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC besides sectoral Federations and Associations -- said it reiterates the wholehearted support to the ongoing united struggles of the farmers demanding scrapping of draconian Agri-laws, Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020 and legislation guaranteeing MSP.
The unions had held a nationwide general strike on November 26 in solidarity with the farmers against the farm laws as well as labour codes, among others.
It said it notes with satisfaction that workers and employees and their unions have been fully active in holding numerous agitations in solidarity with the ongoing farmers’ struggles across the country braving arrests and intimidation from the state governments.
The Joint Platform also called upon workers, employees and their unions, irrespective of affiliations, to organise active solidarity to the farmers' call for Bharat Bandh.