There has been an unprecedented response to the September 27, 2021 call for a nationwide strike or Bharat Bandh, said the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Monday in a press release.
Farmers reported shutdowns at the village-level and taluka-level from 6 AM on Monday. Images of farmers groups from Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh flooded social media.
Equally stunning were the posters and artwork that paid homage to the year-long struggle of farmers in their demand to repeal Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2021 among other things.
Here are some of the impressive posters created by supporters of the farmers’ protest.
Even before the Bharat Bandh began, artists circulated their work predicting the strength of the farmers’ struggle.
Many artists hailed farmers for challenging the central government’s claims that things were working out favourably in the agriculture sector.
SKM stated that farmers from many regions closed off entire highways and city markets, ensuring a total Bharat Bandh.
Some artists reminded people of the need to stand together with farmers. SKM said that Monday’s solidarity has shown the unity among citizens in favour of farmers’ demands.
Farmers and their supporters have not forgotten the contributions of martyred farmers like Haryana’s Sushil Kajal, who died after being injured grievously in a brutal lathi-charge near Karnal city. Here, an artist using the name ‘Lord_Voldemaut’ pays his respect to the Karnal violence.
Trade Unions, youth and student organisations and political parties from across India joined Bharat Bandh.
Despite the huge mobilisation, SKM reported no untoward incidents. However, there were reports of detention and arrests in areas like Chennai, Kolkata and Bhubaneswar.
Encouraged by such a huge response, farmers assert that they will not back down until the contentious laws are repealed and the Centre accepts the demand to legalise Minimum Support Price (MSP).
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