The ongoing farmers' protest has not only caught the nation's eye but grabbed global attention. The farmers' unions have called for a Bharat bandh, a nationwide shutdown, as the protests against the new farm bills continue. Major opposition parties across the country, union of traders, transporters, hotels have all decided to extend support by shutting shop in solidarity with the farmers' plight.
Further strengthening the voice of farmers during the Bharat bandh, the Karnataka Unaided School Management Association has decided to join forces with other unions participating in the shutdown. As a result, online classes conducted by private schools in Karnataka will be suspended for one day on Tuesday.
More than 3,000 schools have agreed to participate in the protest, Shashi Kumar, general secretary of the association said on Monday.
"We have decided to suspend classes for a day. Anyone who is conducting exams or tests need not cancel them. We will compensate for today's suspension by taking classes on another working day. The plight of farmers will be our plight for one day," Kumar told TNM.
"When we are levied with stringent rules regarding everything that the government themselves cannot uphold, it makes managing the school even more difficult. The day isn't too far when our condition will be similar to that of the farmers. We want the government to hear our issues, care about our plight and provide pragmatic solutions," he added.
Farmers' protest in Delhi
Hundreds and thousands of farmers have taken to the streets of the national capital as well as Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP as they protest the three new farm laws that were passed by the government in September this year. Thousands have camped at the borders of Delhi as they've even blocked several entry points in a bid to force the Central government to repeal the new laws.
The government has agreed to include MSP into the new laws, but the farmers want them to be scrapped completely. Five rounds of talks between the farmers' unions and the Center have yielded no results.
