Farmers Protest 2024, 4th Day updates
Farmers and workers called for a sectoral industrial strike and Gramin Bharat Bandh
Farmers and workers called for a sectoral industrial strike and Gramin Bharat Bandh in agitation of Delhi Chalo protest on 16th February with the protest taking place from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. The farmers joined chakka jams on main roads in the country from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
National highways were closed for 4 hours in Punjab and other states. National highways in Pathankot, Tran Taran, Bhatinda and Jalandhar were blocked by the farmers protesting for their demands, buses stayed off the roads in response to the call for Bharat Bandh. Haryana roadways services supported Bharat Bandh and stayed off the roads. 50 Trade union leaders and activists were detained by the Jammu and Kashmir police who were planning to hold a protest at Lal Chowk to show their support for the Bharat Bandh.
On 16th February Haryana police fired tear gas shells in order to move the protesting farmers carrying out 'Delhi Chalo', when the protestors tried to move towards the barricades at the Shambhu border near Ambala. Protesters from Punjab state at the Shambhu and Khanauri state borders in Haryana. On 15th February, three Union ministers - Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Arjun Munda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai held a meeting with the leaders of the protesting farmer union.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also participated in the meeting at The Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Sector 26. Union agriculture and farmer welfare minister, Arjun Munda described the meeting as a positive approach and suggested that another round of talks would be held in the coming Sunday. The farmers showed their agitation and are firm to stay between the two border points of Punjab and Haryana until their demands are accepted by the government.
According to the latest reports almost 54 farmers have been injured and rushed to the nearest hospital and would be provided free treatment.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant man said that the discussion reached a conclusion on several issues. The issue of suspension of internet services at selected areas like Sangrur Patiala and Fatehgarh Sahib is a big problem for the students. Drones dropping tear gas shells on farmers and other measures that caused harm to the protesters were taken into consideration and opposed and should be avoided.
Mobile internet services, bulk SMS and all dongle services etc except voice calls have been suspended till 17th February in the districts - Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad of Haryana state.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a Minimum Support Price for crops based on the Swaminathan Formula of C2 50, legal guarantee of procurement depth wave in electricity tariff and go smart meters along with this they also demand for free 300 units of power for farming for domestic use in shops comprehensive crop insurance and hike in pension to 10000 for month others.
