A day before the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call given by the farmer unions protesting against the three agri laws, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Thursday said the agitating farmers are prepared for a long haul and will relent only when their demands are met.
“The farm laws are not only adversely affecting the farmers but will impact other sections as well. The Centre must withdraw the farm laws and provide a legal guarantee on MSP,” said Tikait while addressing a farmers’ mahapanchayat at Assandh in Haryana’s Karnal district.
He said that this is a fight not just of farmers but also for the poor, small traders. This agitation will go on for long. We have made preparations till November-December, he added.
Tikait said that the government may try to impose restrictions in the garb of COVID-19 pandemic at places where farmers are sitting in large numbers as part of the ongoing stir but that will not deter them.
He also said that the farmers have shown how to manage their time for the stir as well as for their crops.
The agitation is drawing good support from several states across the country including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, he added.
Notably, hundreds of farmers are camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year demanding the repeal of the three contentious farm laws.
TRAFFIC ADVISORY ISSUED FOR ‘BHARAT BANDH’ CALL
Keeping in view the “Bharat Band” call on March 26 by Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, the Haryana Police has issued traffic advisory to divert the routes for the convenience of public to avoid any untoward circumstances. Rail and road transportation services are likely to be affected and markets may remain closed in parts of the country on Friday due to “Bharat Bandh”.
An official spokesman said that the vehicles coming from Ambala or Chandigarh on the national highway-44 may go towards U.P. Ghaziabad and Noida via Karnal to Shamli and from Panipat to Sanauli to U.P., Ghaziabad and Noida. Similarly, they can enter via national highway-71A via Gohana, Rohtak, Jhajjar and Rewari. The light vehicles coming from Ambala/Chandigarh can travel towards Delhi via Baghpat, Khekra, Loni border from Bahalgarh using national highway-44 to Delhi and Gurugram.
The following routes are identified for smooth flow of traffic including Karnal-Shamli-Bhagpat-Khekra, Panipat-Sanauli-Bhagpat-Khekra, Bahalgarh-Bhagpat-Khekra. For west South Delhi and Gurugram, NH-71A, Bahalgarh-Sonipat City-Lampur border and Ganaur-Khubru double canal road are identified as routes for smooth flow of traffic. For daily commuters (Sonipat-Delhi), routes identified are Safiabad border/Narela border- Sonipat-Narela road, Lampur border- Sonipat-Barota-Lampur, Ochandi border- Sonipat-Kharkhoda-Saidpur-Ochandi, Dahisara border-Bahalgarh-Khewra-Jakholi and Janti Kalan border-Manoli-Baira Bankepur-Dahisara.