Bharat Bandh on February 16: Scheduled for February 16, labourers and farmers are gearing up for a targeted industrial strike named Bharat Bandh, organized by the non-political group Samyukta Kisan Morcha. The protest is slated to occur from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the specified day.
According to reports, farmers are planning nationwide road blockades, known as chakka jams, from 12 to 4 PM, affecting major roads in Punjab for a four-hour period. This could result in the closure of various government and private offices, impacting services like MNREGA rural works, transportation, agricultural activities, and rural industrial and service sectors.
However, crucial services such as ambulances and hospitals will continue uninterrupted. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has presented a set of demands to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including the implementation of a Minimum Support Price based on the Swaminathan formula, legal assurances for procurement, debt relief, a freeze on power rate increases, and a ban on smart meter installations.
Farmers are also advocating for comprehensive crop insurance, free power supply of up to 300 units for both home and agricultural use, and a monthly pension increase of Rs 10,000. The Bharat Bandh aims to highlight these concerns and push for government action on the specified demands.
