Protesting farmers urge people to join them for nationwide strike on Dec 8

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ Thousands of farmers protesting against the Centre’s new agri laws for the past 11 days here have called on people to join their ‘Bharat Bandh’ on Tuesday in large numbers, as police increased deployment at various Delhi border points.

Farmer leaders also welcomed the support of political parties to the nationwide strike against the laws and demanded that the legislations be repealed. The Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Nationalist Congress Party, CPI(M) and DMK are among the political parties that are backing the day-long strike.

The Delhi Police has increased deployment and security arrangements on Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh as a precautionary measure. Farmers have threatened to intensify their agitation and block more roads leading to the national capital if the government did not accept their demand.

Talks between the government and protesting farmer unions so far have been futile and the sixth round of discussions is scheduled to be held on Wednesday. The Delhi Traffic Police on Monday tweeted about the closure of the Singhu, Auchandi, Piao Maniyari and Mangesh borders. The Tikri and Jharoda borders are also closed, it said.