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Bharat Bandh In Photos: Farmers Across India Protest Controversial New Bills

Congress and other Opposition parties also voiced support for the protest.

Farmers’ organisations on Friday intensified their agitation against the farm bills passed by the Parliament during the Monsoon session and called for a nationwide shutdown. As many as 265 farmers’ groups took to the streets on Friday to protest and carry out marches against the bills, according to NDTV.

All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee General Secretary Avik Saha told NDTV that over 265 farmers’ groups affiliated with the AIKSCC took part in the protests on Friday and around 100 non-affiliated groups also participated.

Congress and other Opposition parties voiced support for the Bharat Bandh call given by farmer organisations with Randeep Surjewala saying that Congress joins farmers in their struggle.

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana blocked roads, including highways, to urge the Centre to withdrawal the legislations, according to PTI. As many as 31 farmers’ organisations joined the call for a complete shutdown in Punjab.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur also joined the protest. Sukhbir Singh Badal led a tractor march from his residence in Badal village to Lambi where the party had organised a protest against the bills, PTI reported.

Hundreds of farmers gathered at the Noida Gate in Sector 14A, at the UP-Delhi border, where they were stopped by the police, officials said.

“Today’s protest is part of a bigger statewide and nationwide agitation by farmers against the farm-sector-related bills passed in Parliament recently. The farmers are opposed to these ‘black laws’. Our demand is that a law should be made that fixes the MSP (minimum support price) as the lowest amount for purchasing crops from farmers,” BKU’s Meerut Zone president Pawan Khatana told PTI.

The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 were passed by the Parliament and now await presidential assent.

Farmers of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) during the nationwide agitation, in Allahabad on September 25, 2020.
SANJAY KANOJIA via Getty Images
Farmers of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) during the nationwide agitation, in Allahabad on September 25, 2020.
Indian protest at a highway in Noida on September 25, 2020.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Indian protest at a highway in Noida on September 25, 2020.
Farmers shout slogans as they block a highway during a protest in Noida against new farm bills.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Farmers shout slogans as they block a highway during a protest in Noida against new farm bills.
Farmers block train tracks during a nationwide farmers' strike following the passing of agriculture bills in the Parliament, at Devi Dasspura village some 25 kms from Amritsar.
NARINDER NANU via Getty Images
Farmers block train tracks during a nationwide farmers' strike following the passing of agriculture bills in the Parliament, at Devi Dasspura village some 25 kms from Amritsar.
Police personnel stand guard as farmers' organisations stage a protest following in Bengaluru.
MANJUNATH KIRAN via Getty Images
Police personnel stand guard as farmers' organisations stage a protest following in Bengaluru.
Activists from various farmers' organisations stage a protest in Bengaluru.
MANJUNATH KIRAN via Getty Images
Activists from various farmers' organisations stage a protest in Bengaluru.
Farmers the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) protest in Allahabad.
SANJAY KANOJIA via Getty Images
Farmers the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) protest in Allahabad.

(With PTI inputs)

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.