Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal to Visit Protesting Farmers Who Have Plans to Execute ‘Bharat Bandh’

Indian capital Delhi is witnessing massive chaos amid the ongoing pandemic and raging protests from farmers opposing two new farm laws and one amendment. After over 10 days of protests in and around Delhi, the government and the farmers appear to be far from finding a common ground.

On Monday, Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, is set to visit the agitating farmers at the Singhu border of the Indian capital to check the arrangements put in place for the protesters. These farmers have marched to Delhi from several Indian agricultural states including Punab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. 

Demanding an emergency meeting of the parliament to revoke the amendment and additions to farm laws passed in September, the farmers are calling for a day of 'non-cooperative movement', Bharat Bandh (India Shut), on 8 December. 

Farmers have decided to occupy toll plazas around Delhi and across the country if the laws are not pulled back by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, that has advocated the new legislation as “progressive” and in favour of the farmers. 

Meanwhile, visuals of severely jammed traffic blocking Delhi roads amid the protests have surfaced on social media.

Meanwhile, traffic comes to a grinding halt at the DND, crazy jam! This, primarily because of several layers of barricading by Delhi Police along the highway.

Wonder why Delhi Police has to make people crawl on a Monday morning when farmers are not even here on DND. pic.twitter.com/amwNV77pa4

— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) December 7, 2020

​Videos of Indians living in other countries including the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, who have come out in support of the farmers have also emerged on Twitter as the movement seems to be gathering a momentum globally.

California Rally for Farmers Protest in India
Thaks you california wale verro..to #FarmerProtests
lets see#कल_भारत_बंद_रहेगा #कल_किसानों_का_भारतबंद_रहेगा

pic.twitter.com/Yo81GfTbIA

— Vijay Prakash ( बेबाक विजय ) (@VijayPrakashJi) December 7, 2020

Wow what a powerful protest and message of solidarity by the UK sikh sangat for the #FarmersProtest outside the Indian Embassy in London! Bolle Soun Nihal! Sat Sri AkkkaaaaL#कल_भारत_बंद_रहेगा#कल_किसानों_का_भारतबंद_रहेगा#8दिसंबर_भारत_बंद

pic.twitter.com/tCiPel5wRO

— Vijay Prakash ( बेबाक विजय ) (@VijayPrakashJi) December 7, 2020

London protest at front of Indian high commission

Thousands of Protesters held signs in their hands gathered in front of Indian high commission office London.#कल_भारत_बंद_रहेगा#कल_किसानों_का_भारतबंद_रहेगा#8दिसंबर_भारत_बंद#FarmersProtest

pic.twitter.com/pC5t5gi4Mw

— Vijay Prakash ( बेबाक विजय ) (@VijayPrakashJi) December 7, 2020

Peaceful protests in support of Farmer Protests in Melbourne, Australia.#SpeakUpForFarmers #Tractor2Twitter #BycottAdaniAmbani pic.twitter.com/qt4ncibnDz

— SpeakUpForFarmers (@dhillonaman) December 2, 2020

The three laws that sparked the controversy are -- The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020. 

The farmers fear that with these new laws, the BJP government is backing out from its role as a price guarantor for their produce while leaving their earnings to be influenced by market forces.