India's Bandh Against the 'Black Laws'

 

If India's strikers who took part in a general strike on November 26 formed a country, it would be the fifth largest in the world after China, India, the United States and Indonesia.  250 million people across India joined the general strike, making it the largest strike in world history. 

 Protesting farmers have rejected the government’s offer to amend some contentious provisions of the new farm laws, which deregulate crop pricing, and stuck to the demand for total repeal. The farmers are protesting against reforms that they say could devastate crop prices and reduce their earnings. The farmers say the laws will lead the government to stop buying grain at minimum guaranteed prices and result in exploitation by corporations that will push down prices. Nearly 60% of the Indian population depending on agriculture for their livelihoods

 A farmers’ union spokes-person was quoted as saying that: “The government offered amendments to the law, but we want them repealed and, if new laws are made, they must be done with consultations with farmers’ associations.”

They have blocked highways on the outskirts of Delhi for the last 10 days. The farmers are camping along at least five main highways on the outskirts of the national capital territory and have said they will not leave until the government rolls back what they call the “black laws”.

They said they would intensify their agitation across the country  and announced another nationwide strike, "Bharat Bandh", for Tuesday, 8 December. Ten trade unions organisations (Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC), Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC))  reiterated their "wholehearted support to the ongoing united struggles of the farmers demanding scrapping of draconian agri laws...[and] welcomes the firm resolve and determination of the united platform of farmer organisations to intensify the struggles countrywide and extends all support to their call for 'Bharat Bandh' on December 8, 2020,”