The ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh has extended its support to the Bharat Bandh call given by farmers’ unions on Tuesday against the three new farm laws enacted by the Centre. The Congress has appealed to people to express solidarity with cultivators.
Massive protest is expected in Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg as Congress has directed the district-level workers to actively take part in the bandh. DM Awasthi, Director General of Police, instructed the police chiefs of all the districts to remain alert to prevent any untoward incident in the state.
“We have appealed to all sections of society that they should stand by the farmers and support their agitation. Bandh will be observed in an aggressive but peaceful and non-violent manner,” Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, who heads the communication wing of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC), said.
He said state Congress president Mohan Markam has given the responsibility to office-bearers and workers of all units of the party in the state to make the bandh successful.
Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) has also agreed to support the shutdown and to keep commercial establishments and shops shut, he added.
Emergency services like hospitals, ambulances, fire brigade and medicine shops have been exempted from the bandh, Trivedi added.
Chhattisgarh Kisan Majdoor Mahasangh (CKMM) office-bearer Sanket Thakur said, “At least 36 farmers, labourers and social organisations led by the CKMM will take out rallies at various places across the state in support of the bandh”.
Road transport organisations have also extended support to the bandh, he said.
On the other hand, BJP national vice president and former chief minister Raman Singh has accused the Congress and Opposition parties at the Centre of “hatching a political conspiracy and misleading farmers”.
“The Congress party is on the verge of getting extinct in the entire country. Now, it has been hatching a conspiracy to come out on streets in a bid to save its existence,” Singh told reporters.
When asked why farmers are not convinced with the new agriculture laws, he said they will come on board.
“But there are certain groups which are spreading apprehension and misleading farmers. Wherever there is Congress in power like in Punjab, its chief minister and his government have held hostage that road (apparently referring to protest of farmers on Delhi borders). It is a political conspiracy of Congress and its allies in the UPA,” he alleged.