On Friday, the peasants 'Delhi Chalo' march entered day 4 after the third round of talks between the farmer's unions and the Government of India failed to reach a condenses. While the meeting ended on a positive note with a detailed discussion on almost every demand of farmers, farmers continued to be at loggerheads with the Haryana Government as they were stopping them from marching to Delhi. On Friday, Bharat Bandh was called by multiple farmer unions in solidarity with protestors marching to Delhi. The Bharat Bandh effect was mostly visible in Punjab. Notably, Haryana has sealed its border for the protestors and also internet services have been suspended in multiple cities. The internet suspension has been imposed in Haryana and multiple cities of Punjab. Amid the four days of deadlock and chaos, it is obvious that business and common lives have been impacted especially in Punjab. Amid the farmers' protest 2.0, the All Industries Trade Forum (AITF) has written a letter to the farmers.
As per a report, All Industries Trade Forum (AITF) President Badish Jindal has written a letter to Sarvan Singh Pandher, coordinator of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) in which he outlined how economies of Punjab and their business are equally important. Jindal's letter to Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) says-
"During the Kisan agitation against farm laws from November 26, 2020, to December 9, 2021, Punjab’s industry fully supported the farmers....While we supported the protest, we faced losses due to longer routes for raw materials, increased expenses, and clients avoiding Punjab. Please consider Punjab’s interests during protests and ensure they don’t disrupt daily life..We fully support your demands, but consider our business and Punjab’s economy. The agitation, caused by the central government’s refusal to address farmers’ demands, is harming Punjabis. We urge you to protest without affecting general life."
Farmers Protest 2020-21 dented Rs 3500 crore loss to Punjab and other states every day
Last time, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) issued a report in which it highlighted that the economies of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir bore losses to the tune of Rs 3,500 crore every day. Furthermore, ASSOCHAM stated that even though the economies in these states are primarily based on agriculture, other sectors such as food processing, cotton textiles, automobiles, farm machinery, and IT have become their lifeline. Trading, tourism, hospitality, and transport are the other sectors boosting the economy of the region.
ASSOCHAM President had outlined that the size of the combined economies of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir is Rs 18 lakh crore. Due to the blockaders of roads, toll plazas, and railways, economic activities have come to a halt. Industries such as textiles, auto components, bicycles, and sports goods, which cater significantly to the export markets would not be able to fulfill their orders.
'Take care of our business & state's economy too': Punjab Industry's letter to 'protesting' Farmers Unions