CPI(M) supports farmers' 'Bharat Bandh' call, wants Opposition parties to join protest

Extending support to farmers' protest, CPI(M) has said that they will back the Bharat Bandh called by farmers' union on December 8. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has said that the party condemns the 'malicious' campaign against teh farmers. In a statement, CPI(M) said that left parties back farmers' demand to scrap the three farm laws as well as the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020. It has also appealed to all political parties in Opposition to stand with the farmers. 

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Bharat Bandh on Dec 8

Upping the ante, farmers protesting against the Centre's new farm laws on Friday announced a Bharat bandh on December 8 and threatened to intensify their agitation and block more roads leading to the national capital if the government does not accept their demands.This hardening of stand came ahead of the fifth round of talks with the government.

Addressing a press conference later, one of the leaders Gurnam Singh Chadoni said if the Centre on Saturday does not accept their demand of repealing the three farm laws, they will intensify their agitation. He said that farmers will protest against the central government and corporate houses and burn their effigies on Saturday, adding that on December 7, sportspersons will return their medals in solidarity with the farmers. "In our meeting today, we have decided to give a Bharat bandh call on December 8 during which we will also occupy all toll plazas," said Harinder Singh Lakhwal, general secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union. "We have planned to block all roads leading to Delhi in the coming days if the farm laws are not scrapped," he added.

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5th round of talks with farmers on December 5

On Thursday, the fourth round of talks between the Centre and the farmers' unions concluded without any significant progress. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar announced that they would meet again at 2 pm on December 5. Besides him, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and MoS Commerce Som Parkash represented the Centre in the deliberations.

Revealing that the discussion took place in a good atmosphere, Tomar stated that the Union government is willing to discuss the unions' objections pertaining to points such as strengthening the APMC, regulating the private Mandis, dispute resolution and apprehensions over the MSP. Moreover, he exuded confidence of the two sides reaching a consensus on Saturday. On the other hand, the farmer unions remained steadfast in their demand for the repeal of The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

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