Farmers' bodies announce nationwide road blockade on Nov 5 against new farm laws

Various farmers' outfits protesting against new farm laws of Centre on Tuesday anunced a nationwide ro blocke on vember 5.

At a meeting held in New Delhi, it was furr decided that re shall be complete coordination of various farmers' outfits "to spearhe fight against three anti-farmer, anti-people farm laws and Centre's proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020".

Major farmer federations with over 500 constituent organisations, including entire working group and state chapter representatives of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) and federations led by farmer leers Balbir Singh Rajewal of BKU (Rajewal) and Haryana BKU chief Gurnam Singh, met at Delhi, where various decisions were taken, according to a statement issued by AIKSCC.

According to statement, it was anunced at meeting that "an all-India ro blocke shall be organised on vember 5".

Also, a "Delhi Chalo" protest shall be held on vember 26-27.

" demand shall be focussed on withdrawal of three recently-passed farm Acts and Electricity Bill 2020. protests will include huge state-wise/region-wise buildup of mass mobilisation and movements focussing on se demands," statement said.

A newly-launched programme coordination body will le protests.

A committee of coordination body shall include V M Singh, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Gurnam Singh, Raju Shetty and Yogendra Yav. It will coordinate two initial programmes on vember 5 and ar one on vember 26-27.

It was decided at meeting that farmers all over country will protest before government offices, including those of central government, offices of leers of ruling BJP and its allies as well as big corporates.

" meeting condemned central government's decision to stop operation of goods trains to Punjab...this is blackmail of people and farmers of Punjab and is most unbecoming of a democratic government," statement said.

Amid protests by farmers on railway tracks against new farm laws, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal sought Punjab government's assurance on Monday on safety of trains and ir crew members to restore freight services, hours after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh asked him to intervene in matter.

Goods train services resumed in Punjab after farmer unions, on October 21, anunced exempting m from ir weeks-old "rail roko" agitation over farm laws.

However, railways decided to extend its suspension of goods train operations in state, saying protesting farmers are still blocking tracks.

(Im: PTI/Representative)