Gramin Bharat Bandh on February 16: Will banks remain open?

Bharat Bandh on February 16: Farmers' umbrella body Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), along with central trade unions, has called a ‘bharat bandh’, or nationwide strike, on Friday, February 16, citing a host of demands relating to the agriculture sector, including a law guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops. The SKM is in support of the 'Delhi chalo' agitation, - a march by the farmers of Punjab to the national capital to press the Centre to accept their demands.

The call for ‘bharat bandh’ comes as farmers, who have been trying to reach Delhi for the past few days to get their demands met by the Centre, have been stopped near the Haryana border amid tight security arrangements.

A panel of three Union ministers were scheduled to hold a meeting with protesting farmer leaders in Chandigarh on Thursday evening for a fresh round of talks, after two earlier rounds of dialogue, held on on February 8 and 12, remained inconclusive.

Meanwhile, farmers from Punjab are camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana seeking to march towards Delhi to press the Centre to accept their demands.

Here are some of the important things to know about the ‘bharat bandh’ on Friday:

February 16 ‘bharat bandh’ timings

The strike, during which farmers are likely to strike work, is scheduled to take place from 6 am to 4 pm.

Will banks remain closed during the ‘bharat bandh’ on February 16?

As of Thursday, there has been no notification from banks regarding any disruptions in services on February 16.

Commercial banks will assume normal operations on February 16, as the day is not marked as a holiday as per the Reserve Bank of India’s holiday calendar.

What else to expect during the February 16 ‘bharat bandh’?

Farmers are expected to strike work from 6 am to 4 pm, blocking major roads from 12 pm to 4 pm, according to Harinder Singh Lakhowal, the General Secretary of BKU Lakhowal.

February 16 ‘bharat bandh’: Will essential services be available?

While the strike will disrupt normal activities, essential services such as ambulance operations, medical shops and newspaper distribution will remain unaffected, SKM National Coordination Committee (NCC) member Dr Darshan Pal has assured.

"The protest aims to highlight grievances while minimizing inconvenience to the public," he added.

‘Bharat bandh’: Will public transport be affected?

Public transport services will remain off the roads as the roadways employees unions are also a part of this protest, affecting both public and private sectors, according to SKM NCC member Jagmohan Singh Patiala.

Besides farmers, traders and transporters have also been asked to support the cause and participate in the strike, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait said on Wednesday. Tikait is the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), a UP-headquartered union of farmers.

Will Internet services be impacted?

Internet services have been suspended in certain areas of Patiala, Sangrur and Fatehgarh Sahib districts in Punjab February 16, according to an order by the Ministry of Home Affairs in the wake of the farmers ‘Delhi chalo’ march.

Also Read: Farmers Protest Live: Piyush Goyal lauds farmers' role as agricultural exports cross $50 billion, pulses output rises 60%

As per the order, Internet services will remain suspended in areas falling under the police stations of Shatrana, Samana, Ghanaour, Devigarh and Balbhera in Patiala, Khanauri, Moonak, Lehra, Sunam and Chajli in Sangrur, and Fatehgarh Sahib.

Earlier, mobile Internet services were suspended till Thursday in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts in Haryana.

(With inputs from agencies)