Farmer Unions Call For Complete 'Bharat Bandh' On March 26

The farmers protesting against the Centre's farm laws have called an all-India strike on March 26. A joint convention will be organised with trade unions and other mass organisations for planning the Bharat Bandh, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body to farmer unions, has said.

March 26 marks the completion of four months of the protest at the Delhi borders, which started on November 26. On January 26, as the protest completed two months, the farmers had held a tractor rally which had ended in violence as the protesters over-ran the iconic Mughal-era Red Fort.

The synergy with trade unions and other mass organisations is part of the farmers' plan to broaden the base of the agitation against the Centre. The farmers -- whose protest has crossed 100 days -- have come up with a protest calendar that also includes an "anti-corporate day" and an "anti-government day" on March 15.

On March 23, the martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, youngsters from all over the country will join the farmers' protests in Delhi borders. On March 28, anti-farmer laws will be burnt as part of Holi dahan across the country, the farmer unions said.

The farmers' body also spoke of today's no-confidence motion in Haryana moved by the Congress, which was defeated by the BJP-led government.

"The anti-farmer face of the JJP (Dushyant Chautala's Jannayak Janata Party), which describes themselves as a party belonging to the farming community, has been completely exposed. These MLAs have no political future because of the ongoing movement," the SKM said in a statement.