Shiv Sena supports call for 'Bharat Bandh' on Dec 8

The ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra on Sunday extended its support to the ''Bharat Bandh'' call of farmer organisations on December 8 to raise their voice against the Centre's three contentious farm laws enacted in September during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

"Shiv Sena president and CM Uddhav Thackeray is against the Central laws which are anti-farmer and anti-labour. We support the Bharat bandh," said Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai.

On Sunday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Prem Singh Chandumajra met CM Thackeray in Mumbai. He told reporters that Thackeray supported the Akali Dal's stand on the farmers' protest.

Chandumajra said Thackeray agreed with his party on the issue of the Centre's alleged interference into the "rights of state governments" in fields like education, agriculture and law and order.

The Shiv Sena had snapped ties with the BJP after the Maharashtra Assembly polls last year over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) quit the BJP-led NDA in September this year to protest against the Centre's new agri-marketing laws.

Thousands of farmers are sitting on various borders of New Delhi since November 26 against the laws and have called for a ''Bharat Bandh'' on December 8.