Union Home Minister Amit Shah has called the protesting farmers for a meeting at 7 pm today as the farmers have marked the Bharat Bandh from 3pm to 7pm today.
The call by Home Minister shows the worriedness of the government as it comes a day before the sixth round of negotiations to end massive protests by the farmers.
“I received a phone call. Amit Shah has called a meeting. We have been called at 7 pm,” said farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, reported NDTV.
Tikai said farmer leaders protesting on the highways near Delhi would attend the meeting.
Transport services, offices and shops – particularly those selling fruits and vegetables – in some states and cities remained affected.
Police in Delhi and Haryana have issued advisories to re-route traffic where possible or warn commuters of delays.
Social activist Anna Hazare also sat on a day-long hunger strike to support agitating farmers.
Hazare also said the agitation should spread across the country so that the government comes under pressure to act in the interests of cultivators.
In a recorded message, Hazare appreciated farmers’ protests at the borders of Delhi saying no violence has taken place in the last 10 days of the agitation.
“I appeal to the people of the country that the agitation which is going on in Delhi should spread across the country. The situation needs to created to create pressure on the government, and to achieve this, farmers need to hit streets. But no one should resort to violence,” said Hazare who began his fast in Ralegan Siddhi village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
The Centre has asked all states and Union Territories to tighten security during Tuesday’s ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by the farmers’ unions and supported by the Opposition parties while asserting that peace and tranquillity must be maintained on that day, officials said.
In a countrywide advisory, the Union Home Ministry also said the state governments and UT administrations must ensure that the Covid-19 guidelines issued concerning health and social distancing are strictly followed.
The states and UTs were told that peace and tranquillity must be maintained during the bandh and precautionary measures taken so that no untoward incident takes place anywhere in the country, a Home Ministry official said.