Bharat bandh on February 16 : Nationwide protest by Farmer.What’s Open , What’s closed ?

Workers and farmers have declared a sectoral industrial strike and Grameen Bharat Bandh on February 16, Friday, from 6 AM to 4 PM. As part of this nationwide protest, farmers, under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, will engage in massive chakka jams on main roads across the country from 12 pm to 4 pm.

The joint call for the strike and Bharat Bandh has received support from public intellectuals and artists who issued a joint statement endorsing the workers’ and farmers’ actions. The statement, signed by 34 individuals, appeals to people from all walks of life to extend their support to this significant movement.

During the Bharat Bandh, various private and government offices, village shops, and transportation services may remain closed. However, emergency services such as ambulance operations, medical shops, and schools are expected to function as usual. 

The demands put forward by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha include a Minimum Support Price for crops based on the Swaminathan formula, legal guarantee of procurement, debt waiver, no hike in electricity tariff, and other welfare measures.

Simultaneously, a panel of three Union ministers is scheduled to hold a meeting with protesting farmer leaders in Chandigarh. The meeting aims to address the ongoing concerns, with previous rounds of dialogue on February 8 and 12 remaining inconclusive. 

Farmers from Punjab continue their protest at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana, advocating for their demands and seeking acceptance from the central government.