New Delhi: As negotiations with the Centre over the three new farm laws remained deadlocked, opposition parties across the nation threw in their weight behind the farmers' call for a Bharat Bandh on December 8 — the day before the next round of talks with the Centre is scheduled to take place at Vigyan Bhawan.
The strategy of drumming up huge support a day before negotiations with the government has been a go-to one for the farmers since they blocked the Capital's gates, cutting off the supply of many essential items to the Capital, which are now being re-routed.
In addition to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party supporting the call for the nationwide strike, the Indian National Congress and at least 14 other opposition parties from the entire length and breadth of the nation have come out publicly supporting the strike to register their protest against the Centre's farm laws.
The Trinamool Congress, RJD and the Left parties, besides a joint platform of ten central trade unions, had on Saturday backed the countrywide strike.
NCP chief and former union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar warned the Centre that if the deadlock continues, the agitation will not be limited to Delhi and people from across the country will stand by the protesting farmers. His party said he is scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind over the issue on December 9.
Expressing the Congress's "wholehearted" support to the strike call, party spokesperson Pawan Khera said it will hold protests that day at all district and state headquarters in solidarity with the demands of the farmers.
Addressing the media at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, he said former party chief Rahul Gandhi, through tractor rallies, signature campaigns and Kisaan rallies, has been raising the party's voice in support of the farmers.
"All our district headquarters and Pradesh headquarters will participate in this bandh. They will hold demonstrations and ensure that the bandh is successful," Khera said.
TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said the party rank and file would actively participate in the bandh to ensure it was a success, according to an official statement.
Rao justified the support, stating that the farmers are legally agitating against the farm laws enacted in September and recalled his party's opposition to the legislation in Parliament.
The DMK-led opposition bloc in Tamil Nadu too extended support to the strike, saying the farmers' demand for repealing legislation was "totally justified." DMK Chief M K Stalin had led a state-wide protest on Saturday against the farm laws.
In a statement, Stalin, TNCC chief KS Alagiri, MDMK founder Vaiko and Left leaders, among other DMK allies, said the ongoing protest outside Delhi by farmers was growing every day and drawing global attention.
The grouping appealed to farmer unions, traders' bodies, government employees' associations, labour unions and others in the state to extend "grand support" to the bandh and make it a success on Tuesday. Actor Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) also extended support to the protest by farmers.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that all AAP workers across the country will join the nationwide strike and appealed to all citizens to support the farmers.
"The Aam Aadmi Party fully supports the Bharat Bandh' call made by farmers on December 8. AAP workers across the country will support it peacefully. There is an appeal to all countrymen that everyone should support the farmers and participate in it," Kejriwal tweeted.
AAP leader and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said volunteers and workers will participate in the strike to support the farmers.
AAP workers across the country will support it peacefully. There is an appeal to all countrymen that everyone should support the farmers and participate in it," Kejriwal tweeted. AAP leader and Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said volunteers and workers will participate in the strike to support the farmers.
The Left parties — Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Revolutionary Socialist Party and All India Forward Bloc — had made the announcement in a joint statement.
In Patna, opposition parties led by RJD's Tejashwi Yadav had on Saturday protested against the farm laws.
In addition to this, the Shiromani Akali Dal, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Shiv Sena and AIMIM among others have also backed the call for a nationwide strike on December 8, in solidarity with the farmers. In fact, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has also publicly supported the strike.
A number of bank unions have expressed their solidarity with the farmers, including the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA). Moreover, Olympic Bronze medallist and Congress leader Vijender Singh said on Sunday that he would return his Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award if the central government does not withdraw the new farm legislations, which he dubbed as "black laws".
While the Centre has been unable to show farmers that they are ready to talk about repealing the laws in question, the farmer leaders have found new ways to show their discontent and mistrust at every round of talks.
While the next round of talks is to be held on December 9, the first round saw farmers rejecting the Centre's offer for tea and snacks in a show of "self-reliance" and the second round saw them go silent for 25 minutes with a placard asking the government whether they will repeal the laws or not - "Yes or No?", read 40 placards in the conference room.
However, so far, the government has indicated that it is willing to write MSP guarantees into the law and consider judicial remedy for farmers' grievances with private players. But farmer leaders continue to insist that their protests at Delhi's gates will last till the laws are repealed.