Bharat Bandh received moderate response and passed off peacefully across Maharashtra as the farmers' organisations, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ministers and ruling alliance members took part in it. Shiv Sena, which leads MVA, had already clarified that today’s bandh was not a political one and had sought voluntary participation to express solidarity and support to the agitating farmers against the three laws passed in hurry by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre.
In Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Ahmadnagar, Nagpur and also districts in Vidarbha and Marathwada, the response was spontaneous. Farmers’ organisations took out marches and, in some districts, they organised sit-in dharna. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state chief Jayant Patil, who is the water resources minister, wore a black ribbon to protest against the three farm laws and the government’s rigid stand in addressing the issues raised by the agitating farmers. NCP national spokesman and Minister of Minority Affairs Nawab Malik participated in the agitation in Chembur.
State Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat, who holds the revenue department, led his party’s agitation in south Mumbai. Minister of Ports Aslam Shaikh led a protest march in Malad-Malvani.
Shiv Sena Member of the Parliament (MP) Sanjay Raut said the response across Maharashtra and in other states was encouraging.
The Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sangharsh Samiti claimed that the bandh was a great success, especially in the rural Maharashtra. The All India Kisan Sabha state general secretary Dr Ajit Nawale said farmers joined on their own, as they are strongly opposed to the three farm laws.
Shops in tier II and III cities and in villages remained shut. Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation’s (MSRTC) 3717 buses were in operation.
Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) in Navi Mumbai, Nashik, Dhule, Pune and Solapur were closed during the bandh. The All India Motor Transport Congress, an apex body of trucker outfits, had joined the bandh and suspended operations on Tuesday.
