'Chakka jam' against farm laws gets huge response in Punjab, Haryana

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana today put up road blockades at many places as part of a nationwide 'chakka jam' agitation in protest against three central farm laws, and demanded that these be withdrawn.

New Delhi: Farmers across the country on Friday participated in the nationwide 'chakka jam' agitation in protest against three central farm laws recently enacted by the Modi government.

The call for the nationwide 'chakka jam' from 12 noon to 4 pm was given by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC).

Haryana and Punjab were the main centres of the protest as a large number of farmers put up road blockades at many places. However, a few farmers also participated in other states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and West Bengal among others.

Apart from the 250 organisations already with the AIKSCC, around 100 more organisations under the Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh (RKM) had also announced their support for the protest on Tuesday.

In all, around 500 farmer organisations are now protesting against the three farm laws.

Addressing the protesting farmers, farmer leader Yogendra Yadav lashed out at the Modi government, claiming that no farmer organisation was supporting the Centre over the contentious laws.

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After the 'chakka jam' farmer organisations will now move towards the national capital on November 26 and 27.

On November 7, the working group of the AIKSCC and the committee of the RKM will hold a meeting and decide upon the march to Delhi.

Meanwhile, farmer leaders have claimed that the march to Delhi will be bigger than the last time as 500 organisations will participate in the protest.

The three farm laws -- the Farmers'' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 -- were enacted recently.

The Centre has asserted that these new laws will be beneficial for farmers and will increase their income.

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