Opposition parties to support farmers' "Bharat Bandh"

Opposition leaders from several parties, including the Congress, the DMK, the RJD, the Samajwadi Party, the eople's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration in J&K, and  Left outfits, have issued a joint statement in support of Tuesday's "Bharat bandh", which has been called for by the thousands of farmers protesting against the centre's contentious new farm laws.

In their statement the opposition leaders said "we extend our solidarity with the ongoing massive struggle by Indian farmers... and support their call for a 'Bharat bandh' on December 8, demanding the withdrawal of retrograde agri-laws and the Electricity Amendment Bill". "These new agri-laws passed in the Parliament in a brazen and anti-democratic manner by preventing a structured discussion and voting, threaten India's food security, destroy Indian agriculture and our farmers, lay the basis for the abolishment of MSP and mortgage Indian agriculture and our markets to the caprices of multi-national agri-business corporates," the statement said.

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, the DMK's MK Stalin, NCP leader Sharad Pawar, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party have all signed this statement. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted in support of the farmers and the "Bharat bandh", saying that all members of the ruling AAP would participate in the shutdown. Telangana's ruling TRS will also back the bandh call, with Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao extending "total support" and urging farmers to continue protests till all three laws are repealed. Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress said it will extend "moral support" to farmers and stage sit-ins in various areas in the state for three days. Apart from political parties, the bandh has also been backed by a joint forum of trade unions, including the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), and the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS).