'Bharat Bandh' on Feb 16 as farmer, trade unions announce nationwide strike. What all will remain open?

The farmers’ protests in Delhi are likely to cause more trouble to the general public, as the farmers' body Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and other central trade unions have called for Gramin Bharat Bandh, a nationwide strike on February 16.

The step is taken to further put pressure on the Central Government to meet their demands. Hundreds of farmers from Punjab marched down to the national capital Delhi earlier this week to protest for their demands. They were, however, halted in Haryana's Ambala, which is at Punjab's border andabout 200 kilometres away from Delhi.

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The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) has urged all like-minded farmers' organisations to unite and take part in the Bharat bandh. The protest will begin at6:00 am and finish at4:00 pm.

Bharat Bandh: Will banks, and offices remain shut tomorrow?

As per reports, transportation, agricultural activities, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) rural works, private offices, village shops, and rural industrial and service sector institutions are expected to remain closed due to the nationwide strike called by farmer unions on Friday (Feb 16).

However, emergency services like ambulance operations, newspaper distribution, medical shops, students going for board exams will remain unaffected by thestrike.

What are farmers demanding?

Many people are calling these protests Farmer Protests 2.0, as farmers from Punjab are camping at the Shambhu and Khanauari border of Punjab-Haryana, waiting to march towards Delhi to press the Centre to accept their demands.

Their demand remains similar to the previous protests- a law for guaranteeing a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crop produce.

The farmers also want to strengthen the MGNREGS, reinstate the old pension scheme, and ensure pension and social security for all workers in both formal and informal sectors.

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The SKM has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a Minimum Support Price for crops based on the Swaminathan formula of C2 50 (input cost of capital 50 per cent), legal guarantee of procurement, debt waiver, and no hike in electricity tariff and no smart metres.

They also demanded free 300 units of power for farming, domestic use and shops, comprehensive crop insurance, and a hike in pension to ₹10,000 per month among others.

(With inputs from agencies)