Farmers Movement Archive

Bharat Bandh: Normal life unaffected

COIMBATORE: To show their solidarity with the farmers protesting in Delhi against the three contentious farm laws, around 30% of shops downed their shutters in the city on Tuesday. However, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) and private buses were plying as usual and normal life was not affected due to one-day Bharat bandh called by farmers. Uzhavar Sandhai at Cowley Brown Road, fish market at Ukkadam, vegetable markets and flower market in the city were functioning as usual. Mobile phone shops remained closed at Cross Cut Road, 100 Feet Road in the city in support of the bandh. CPI and CPM staged a protest at Annur bus stand on Tuesday morning. The protest was led by Coimbatore MP PR Natarajan. More than 260 cadres participated in the protest and they raised slogans against the Union government for implementing anti-farmer laws. They also demanded the Union government to repeal the laws. The rural police arrested the protesters and kept them in a marriage hall. Later, they were let off. Around 200 cadres of CPI and CPM staged a protest at BR Puram near Peelamedu and raised slogans against the Union government. More than 70 cadres from the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) attempted to besiege the Coimbatore railway junction. The city police placed barricades in front of the railway stations to prevent the protesters entry and around 100 police personnel were deployed at the spot. The protesters came in a rally to the Coimbatore railway junction from Lanka Corner and raised slogans against the central government. They attempted to enter inside the railway station. Later, the protesters sat on the State Bank Road and raised slogans. However, police arrested 73 protesters. Later, they were let off. Members from the SRMU (Southern railways mazdoor union) staged a protest demanding the withdrawal of three farmers law and anti-labour law. They also condemned the Union government move to privatize the railways. The protesters condemned the railway authorities for failing to fill the seven lakh vacancies in the department across the country. MDMK cadres staged a protest in front of their party office on VKK Menon Road. Various organizations participated in the protest on Tuesday.

The Times of India

2020-12-09

Coimbatore