India News | TMC to Morally Support Farmers' Strike Call, Not to Enforce It
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The ruling TMC in West Bengal Monday decided to extend "moral support" to the December 8 nationwide strike called by farmers to protest against the new agriculture laws and in solidarity will stage sit-ins in various parts of the state for the next three days.
Kolkata, Dec 7 (PTI) The ruling TMC in West Bengal Monday decided to extend "moral support" to the December 8 nationwide strike called by farmers to protest against the new agriculture laws and in solidarity will stage sit-ins in various parts of the state for the next three days.
Senior TMC leader and MP Saugata Roy said the party will not enforce the strike called by the farmers as it is against "bandh culture".
"We support the issues raised by the farmers and will hold protest programmes and sit-in demonstrations. But we are against shutdowns and the bandh culture and will not enforce it in the state," Ray told PTI.
"The farmers have our moral support and we will do everything to fight for their cause," he added.
Also Read | Bharat Bandh Tomorrow: Delhi Police Warn of Strict Action Against Those Disrupting Normal Movement.
Earlier in the day speaking at a rally in West Midnapore district, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is one of the most vocal critics of the saffron party, slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for its "arrogance and indifference" towards the plight of farmers who are protesting against the new agriculture laws.
The NDA government at the Centre should immediately withdraw the "anti-people" farm laws or step down. "I have not forgotten Singur anti-farmland acquisition movement. I promise full support to farmers. We (TMC) are supporting the demands made by the farmers", the TMC supremo said.
Banerjee had led the movement against the acqusition of farmland at Singur by the state government for a small car project by Tata Motors. She had sat on a 26-day-long fast in December 2006 which had led to the company's withdrawing from the project.
"The BJP government should immediately withdraw the farm bills, or else it should step down. It has no right to continue by sacrificing the rights of the farmers," the fiesty leader said.
Farmer leaders on Monday said that emergency services will not be disturbed during Tuesday's 'Bharat Bandh' and appealed to their affiliates to not force anyone to observe the shut down against the three recently enacted agriculture- related laws.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various border points of Delhi against the new farm laws. Several rounds of talks between the Centre and farmers have failed to break the deadlock.
The government has been defending the laws, saying they will help farmers by bringing in new technology and allow them to sell their produce at better prices.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)