A day ahead of the Bharat Bandh called by farmers' union to protest against the three new farm laws introduced by the Centre, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) and top union of transport sector All India Transport Welfare Association (AITWA) on Monday (December 7) announced that it will not participate in the Bharat Bandh on Tuesday (December 8).
According to CAIT and AITWA, markets across the country including in Delhi will be fully open and business activities will continue as usual during the Bharat Bandh on December 8, while the transport sector will continue to function as before and the movement of goods will remain fully operational.
A joint statement was issued by the national president of CAIT, BC Bhartia, national secretary general of CAIT Praveen Khandelwal and AITWA national chairman Pradeep Singhal and President Mahendra Arya. The statement mentioned that leaders of any farmers organization have not approached CAIT or AITWA seeking support fot the Bharat Bandh.
The statement added that there is no justification for Bharat Bandh when the farmers' leaders are in talks with the government. He said that the sympathies of the traders and transporters of the country are with the farmers, as they are very important and integral part of the economy of the country just like the traders and transporters and we are confident that the dialogue between the government and the farmer leaders will yield positive results.
Read: Bharat Bandh tomorrow: Banking, transport services may be affected - Check details here
The farmers are protesting against Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The farmers claim that these laws end the minimum support price system in the future and will give corporates total control over agriculture sector.
On the other hand, the government has projected these laws as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and help in the growth of the income of the famers.
Banking Services may also be affected on December 8 as several bank unions have expressed their solidarity with farmers.
