Bharat Bandh: Anna Hazare holds daylong fast at Ralegan-Siddhi to support farmers; here's what he said

New Delhi: In a surprise development, 83-year-old social activist Kisan Baburao alias Anna Hazare on Tuesday (December 8) joined farmers` agitation by holding a daylong token hunger strike at his native village Ralegan-Siddhi in Ahmednagar. The agitating farmers have called Bharat Bandh demanding the repeal of the Centre's new farm laws.

In a recorded message, Hazare said the agitation should spread across the country so that the government comes under pressure to act in the interests of cultivators. He also appreciated farmers' protests at the borders of Delhi saying no violence has taken place in the last 10 days of the agitation.

"I appeal to the people of the country that the agitation which is going on in Delhi should spread across the country. The situation needs to created to create pressure on the government, and to achieve this, farmers need to hit the streets. But no one should resort to violence," Hazare told PTI. 

Anna Hazare said this was the "right time" for farmers to come out on the streets and get their issues resolved, adding "I had backed this cause earlier also, and will continue to do so." 

He also expressed the need to grant autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and to implement the recommendations of the M S Swaminathan Commission.

The social activist warned of an agitation if the government fails to grant autonomy to the CACP and implement recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, adding "The government only gave assurances but never fulfilled these demands."

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Notably, the `Bharat Bandh` is supported by the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, most Dalit parties, the CPI, CPM and other Leftist parties, several students organisations and students of major academic institutions, the Trade Unions Joint Action Committee with scores of trade unions, including all bank unions in the state, besides many other big and small groups with employees in the trade and commerce sectors.

The state`s opposition BJP and its allies, however, have kept off the shutdown and accused all the other parties of misleading the farmers and people.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut reiterated that this is not "a political bandh", and asked the BJP to support the farmers` cause instead of trying to mislead the people of the country.

The `Bharat Bandh` has evoked a good response in Maharashtra on Tuesday, especially in rural and semi-rural areas, with no reports of any violence, organisers and officials said.

Shiv Sena leader Kishore Tiwari, Sena Minister Abdul Sattar, SSS leader Raju Shetti, NCP leaders Jayant Patil, Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, All India Kisan Sabha leaders Ashok Dhawale and Ajit Nawale, apart from CPI-CPM leaders termed the shutdown "successful".

The Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress organised demonstrations in Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, and other cities to express solidarity with the farmers agitating on the Delhi borders.

In a unique show of support, a large number of gurdwaras and Punjabi associations organised human chains between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, besides holding a vehicle rally.

Several parties came together to hold a motorcycle rally in Thane, but it was scuttled midway by the police on the ground that it hampered traffic.

Notably, emergency services were exempted and banks, too, continued operations as the pan-India shutdown, backed by most opposition parties and many trade unions, came into effect with the maximum impact expected in states such as Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi, the epicenter of the snowballing protests.

Security was stepped up across the country, noisy demonstrations were held in many places and the numbers swelled at Delhi's border points where thousands of farmers have been camping for the last 11 days. Protesters blocked railway tracks at several places in West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha.

From the Rajasthan capital Jaipur, where 'mandis' were closed but shops open, there were reports of clashes between workers of the state's ruling Congress and the BJP. However, the protest was mostly peaceful in other parts of the country. 

The three contentious laws at the centre of the farmer protests are 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. 

(With Agency Inputs)