Farmers Movement Archive

Police lathicharge protesters seeking repeal of farm laws in Patna

PATNA: The police on Tuesday resorted to heavy lathicharge on the members of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) at the Dak Bungalow crossing to prevent their march to the Raj Bhavan. The march had been organized as part of the nationwide programme to submit to the governor a memorandum demanding the repeal of the three farm laws passed by the Centre, guaranteed purchase of agriculture produce of farmers at the MSP and the withdrawal of the proposed Electricity Bill, among others. All India Kisan Mahasabha state president Visheshwar Yadav, CPI(ML) politburo member Dhirendra Jha and one Ravindra Ram from Gopalganj sustained injuries in the lathicharge, their spokesman Pervej said. A five-member AIKSCC delegation led by CPI(ML) MLA from Ghoshi Rambali Yadav submitted a memorandum to the secretary of the governor at the Raj Bhavan. Earlier, around 10,000 members of various farmer organizations and the CPI(ML), CPI and CPM started for the Raj Bhavan from Gandhi Maidan. Among those who led the AIKSCC march were its incharge for Bihar and Jharkhand, Rajaran Singh, Ashok Prasad, Ramadhar Singh and Visheshwar Prasad, among others. They were stopped by police near the JP statue, but broke the police cordon and marched towards Dak Bungalow crossing on Fraser Road. Subsequently, the police resorted to lathicharge at the Dak Bungalow crossing to disperse them. Soon, the protesters organized a rally that was addressed by Tarari MLA Sudama Prasad, who had returned from Punjab. AIKSCC incharge Singh and CPI(ML) state secretary condemned the police lathicharge. Singh said the state government had resorted to repression of the farmers’ agitation. Singh also said the Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) were not purchasing paddy from the farmers. He asked the state government to ensure that the PACS should purchase paddy from the farmers at the MSP rates. He said the Nitish Kumar government had first abolished the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act in the country in 2006, which led to the winding up of the Bazaar Samitis. It had worsened the farmers’ plight in the state, and the three new Centre’s farm laws would further aggravate the crisis facing the farmers, he added.

The Times of India

2020-12-30

Patna