Police used force as Congressmen moved towards Raj Bhavan in Bhopal as part of protest to mark support to farmers agitating against three agri marketing laws.
Besides cane-charging the protesters, the cops lobbed teargas shells and used water cannons on them. The Congress leaders, workers gathered at Jawahar Chowk and as the procession approached Roshanpura square close to Raj Bhavan, the protesters turned violent and broke the barricading put up by police.
Including women leaders, the Congressmen pelted stones on the police and police had to use mild force to disperse the agitators. As the demonstrators did not budge, the police force used water cannons to disperse the mob and lobbed tear gas shells on them.
Party seniors including MPCC chief Kamal Nath, Digvijay Singh, former assembly speaker NP Prajapati and others were present in the protest organised by the Congress party in Bhopal to protest three agri-marketing laws sanctioned by the Centre recently. Police later arrested 20 leaders Rajya Sabha MP Digvijay, MLAs Jaivardhan Singh, Kunal Chaudhary and others and sent them to Central Jail. “The Centre has approved draconian laws in farm sector,” alleged Nath before the protest adding he has personally fought for Minimum Support Price (MSP) in the past.
Do the farmers protesting in New Delhi have no understanding of this sector, said Nath claiming the corporates will cast spell on agri mandis once these agri laws come into being. If this happens, farmers will end up being a bonded labourer to the corporates, added the MPCC chief.
The grand old party also affirmed that it will persist with the demonstration, unless the Centre takes a call on the new agri laws. MLA Lakshman Singh claimed that Centre has promised farmers not to implement the laws for the time being as partial win for the agitating farmers.
Later, the MPCC chief slammed the Shivraj government for using brute force on Congressmen and farmers who were agitating ‘peacefully’ in the city. We won’t be cowed down with such atrocities and the struggle will continue, added Nath. Congress party also circulated to the media pictures of party workers who were injured in the police action.
