Several parties, including the Congress, TRS, DMK and AAP, joined others in the Opposition on Sunday to extend support to protesting farmers in their call for a nationwide strike on December 8 against the three new central farm laws.
On Saturday, the Trinamul Congress, RJD and the Left parties, besides a joint platform of 10 central trade unions, also backed the farmers’ protests.
Former Union agriculture minister and NCP Chief Sharad Pawar warned the Centre that if the situation persists, the stir would spread nationwide and everyone would stand by the protesting farmers.
“I hope wisdom dawns on the government and it takes cognisance to resolve the issue. If this stalemate continues, the protest will not be limited to Delhi, but people from nook and corner of the country will stand by the protesting farmers,” NCP leader Sharad Pawar said.
The Congress on Sunday extended its “whole-hearted support” to the Bharat Bandh, saying it will hold demonstrations on the day at all district and state headquarters to back the protesters.
Addressing the press at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Sunday, party spokesperson Pawan Khera said, “All our district headquarters and Pradesh headquarters will participate in this bandh. They will hold demonstrations and ensure that the bandh is successful.”
TRS President and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhara Rao said all his party leaders will support the bandh and ensure its success. He also said the farmers were protesting legally and recalled his party’s opposition to the laws before they were enacted in September.
The DMK-led Opposition bloc in Tamil Nadu also extended support to the strike, saying the farmers' demand for repealing legislation was "totally justified."
DMK Chief M K Stalin had led a state-wide protest on Saturday against the farm laws. In a statement, Stalin, TNCC chief KS Alagiri, MDMK founder Vaiko and Left leaders, among other DMK allies, said the ongoing protest outside Delhi by farmers was growing every day and drawing global attention.
The grouping appealed to farmer unions, traders' bodies, government employees' associations, labour unions and others in the state to extend "grand support" to the bandh and make it a success on Tuesday.
Actor Kamal Hassan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) also announced its support for the farmers.
AAP President and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “The Aam Aadmi Party fully supports the Bharat Bandh' call made by farmers on December 8. AAP workers across the country will support it peacefully. There is an appeal to all countrymen that everyone should support the farmers and participate in it.”
The ruling TMC in Bengal had on Saturday extended "moral support" to the December 8 nationwide strike and said it would stage sit-ins in various areas for three days.
“There will be moral support from the party, as we are in wholehearted agreement on the issues... But, because as a party our position is anti-bandh, we won’t be out on the streets to enforce one,” Trinamul MP Sudip Bandhopadhyay said.
The Left parties -- Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Revolutionary Socialist Party and All India Forward Bloc -- had announced their support in a joint statement.
In Patna, Opposition parties led by RJD's Tejashwi Yadav had on Saturday protested against the farmers' bill.
The joint forum of trade unions that has supported the farmers' stir includes 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) and Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC).
The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, a farmers' body, said it will join the "non-violent" protest on Tuesday.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, are protesting at various border points of Delhi for 11 days against the new farm laws.
