Farmers across the State on Friday staged protests against the controversial agriculture Bills passed in the Parliament recently and sent memorandum to the President through district Collectors.
Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan members staged a demonstration at the AG Square here. Many protestors were detained while they tried to enter into the gate of Lok Seva Bhawan.
Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) activists were hindered when they tried to gherao the Krushi Bhawan in the city.The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) long with the trade unions such as CITU, AICCTU, AIUTUC and BKMU, political parties like CPI, CPI(M), CPI (ML)-Liberation, Forward Bloc, SUCI (Communist) and various people’s organisations such as Akhil Bharat Janmanch, Janadhikar Manch, Lokshakti Abhiyan etc staged a mass protest meeting in Bhubaneswar. Suresh Panigrahi and Narendra Mohanty coordinated the meeting.
Journalist Rabi Das, farmer leader Shashibhushan Swain, worker leader Mahendra Parida, political leaders Jyotiranjan Mohapatra, Radhakant Sethi, Congress Kisan Cell president Amiya Patnaik, farmer leader Jagannath Mishra, employees’ leader Dushmant Das, trade union leaders Jayant Das, women leaders Pramodini Sahoo, tribal leader Sai Marandi and youth leader Jatin Mohanty spoke. Congress and NKS activists also staged protests in Cuttack opposing the Bills.
The All India Kishan Khet Majdur Sangathan (AIKKMS) staged observed the Bandh at Kishorenagar and other places in Cuttack district. It demanded withdrawal of the Bills. Rajkishore Mallick, Bhagirathi Bhoi, Mahammad Akik Uddin, Nirakar Sahoo participated.
In Kendrapada, members of the Akhila Bharat Krushak Sabha (AIKS), Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Congress, Nikhila Utkal Chashi Mulia Sangh and Odisha Dalit Samaj under the banner of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) organised a demonstration in front of District Collector’s office.
They described the farm Bills as “anti-farmer legislations”.Activists also staged protests at Brahmapur, Bargarh, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Keonjhar, Puri, Cuttack, Koraput, Baleswar, Kankadahada (Dhenkanal), Gunpur, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Paralakhemundi, Brahmagiri in the State.However, the Bandh had little impact in Puri town and district and life was normal.
Notably, three Bills, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill were passed in the both Houses of the Parliament amid stiff protests from opposition parties.