Farmers stir: 'Bharat Bandh' not political, says Shiv Sena

Mumbai: The 'Bharat Bandh' called by farmers groups, trade unions and major national political parties "is not a political bandh" but aimed at strengthening the voice of the farmers, the Shiv Sena said on Monday.

The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, besides several other parties in the state, have thrown their full weight behind the 'Bharat Bandh' on Tuesday.

"This is not a political bandh... Shiv Sena President and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray have appealed to people to voluntarily participate in the shutdown tomorrow," party's Chief Spokesperson and MP Sanjay Raut told media persons.

He pointed out how, when the entire country was in the lockdown for the past 10 months, it was the farmers who were working in their fields non-stop, and now for the last 12 days, they are sitting on Delhi borders, battling the chilling cold there.

"Farmers anywhere are farmers, not just of Punjab or Haryana. They need us now. As a country, we must support them in this hour," Raut declared.

On Sunday, a delegation of Shiromani Akali Dal leaders called on Thackeray soliciting for his support to the farmers agitation and the principles of federalism, which they said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was violating.

They also requested the CM to join a meeting of all opposition parties in Delhi next fortnight to launch a united front against the BJP-led NDA at the Centre to which he (Thackeray) agreed.