New Delhi: With protesting farmer unions calling for a 'Bharat Bandh' on December 8 even as several rounds of their talks with the Centre remain inconclusive, the opposition Congress on Sunday said that the party supported the proposed nationwide shutdown to protest against the three central farm laws.
The Congress also said that its leader Rahul Gandhi has been on the forefront in opposing these contentious laws through signature campaigns and tractor rallies in Punjab and Haryana in the past.
"The Congress supports the call for the 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmers. It is evident is that the BJP has committed a fraud against the people. While claiming that 'acche din' or good days are coming, they have clearly let it out that good times are only for a select few," Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said.
The next meeting for the sixth round of parleys between farmer leaders and the Centre is scheduled in Delhi for December 9.
While the farmers are adamant on their demand for a repeal of the three farms laws enacted in September, the government is agreeable to make suitable amendments to the same.
As the government has not so far been able to come up with a satisfactory resolution to the demands of farmers, the latter have warned to intensify their protests till the three laws that they dubbed "anti-farmer" were not repealed.
Meanwhile, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) also extended support on Sunday to the 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmers' unions on December 8 to oppose and seek repeal of three new central farm legislations.
Telangana Chief Minister and TRS President K Chandrasekhar Rao said that the TRS rank and file would participate actively to make the proposed shutdown a success.
Several trade unions and political parties, including the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Trinamool Congress and the Left parties have already announced their support to the countrywide shutdown.
KCR, as the TRS leader is popularly known, justified the support by stating that the farmers are agitating through lawful means against the Centre's farm laws.
He recalled that the TRS had opposed the farm Bills in Parliament in September as they were allegedly aimed at harming the interests of Indian farmers.
The TRS chief felt that there was need to continue the agitation till the new legislations were withdrawn.
He also appealed to the people to stand by farmers and make the bandh successful.
KCR had earlier said that the farm laws would benefit the corporates and adversely impact the farmers.
(With IANS Inputs)