RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh government is now facing the ire of farmers at Keshkal in Kondagaon district of Bastar region after police lathi-charged to disperse a group of farmers who were protesting against non-availability of gunny bags at the paddy procurement centre, late on Tuesday evening. In north Chhattisgarh, farmers threw paddy stock on the roads and set it ablaze protesting against paddy procurement process under minimum support price scheme on Wednesday.
Opposition BJP has set up a five-member committee, including a former legislator, to visit Keshkal where farmers resorted to road blockade on National Highway 30, late on Tuesday night protesting against shortage of gunny bags at the procurement centre. Farmers who brought their paddy stock to procurement centre couldn’t sell their paddy as the centre didn’t have sufficient stock of gunny bags.
Farmers allege that they even offered to provide their own gunny bags, but the officials at the centre allegedly dilly-dallied, claiming that they were in touch with the district administration on what to do in such a situation. The angry farmers finally took to streets, blocked the NH leading to traffic jam on busy Jagdalpur-Raipur road. Police allegedly used force to disperse the farmers, and that led to commotion.
Police claimed that farmers resorted to stone-pelting, while farmers alleged that they were brutally beaten up by the cops. According to Kondagaon SP, Sujit Kumar, the commuters and residents of the area were facing a lot of problems due to seven -hour traffic disruption. “Despite all efforts made by police to clear the blockade, farmers refused to budge,” said the SP. Later, around 8 pm, police used force to clear the traffic and road for the convenience of people, which led to commotion and some of people present on the spot received injuries. SP, however, said that police had not resorted to lathi-charge as alleged by the farmers.
Reacting to police action, BJP national vice present and former chief minister Raman Singh tweeted, “This is the character of Congress government and its chief minister Bhupesh Baghel.” He said that the Congressmen had vowed with gangajal in their hands to work for the welfare of farmers before the assembly elections, but now they are on a junket to foreign countries and raining lathis on farmers here. He also said the government should have been thankful to the farmers instead of using brute force against them.
Food and civil supplies minister Amarjeet Bhagat on Wednesday convened a meeting with officials and instructed them to provide gunny bags to the armers and clear the paddy procurement procedure. He also said that about 90 per cent procurement in the state has already been done and government has purchased about 82 lakh metric tonnes of paddy till now.
Opposition BJP has set up a five-member committee, including a former legislator, to visit Keshkal where farmers resorted to road blockade on National Highway 30, late on Tuesday night protesting against shortage of gunny bags at the procurement centre. Farmers who brought their paddy stock to procurement centre couldn’t sell their paddy as the centre didn’t have sufficient stock of gunny bags.
Farmers allege that they even offered to provide their own gunny bags, but the officials at the centre allegedly dilly-dallied, claiming that they were in touch with the district administration on what to do in such a situation. The angry farmers finally took to streets, blocked the NH leading to traffic jam on busy Jagdalpur-Raipur road. Police allegedly used force to disperse the farmers, and that led to commotion.
Police claimed that farmers resorted to stone-pelting, while farmers alleged that they were brutally beaten up by the cops. According to Kondagaon SP, Sujit Kumar, the commuters and residents of the area were facing a lot of problems due to seven -hour traffic disruption. “Despite all efforts made by police to clear the blockade, farmers refused to budge,” said the SP. Later, around 8 pm, police used force to clear the traffic and road for the convenience of people, which led to commotion and some of people present on the spot received injuries. SP, however, said that police had not resorted to lathi-charge as alleged by the farmers.
Reacting to police action, BJP national vice present and former chief minister Raman Singh tweeted, “This is the character of Congress government and its chief minister Bhupesh Baghel.” He said that the Congressmen had vowed with gangajal in their hands to work for the welfare of farmers before the assembly elections, but now they are on a junket to foreign countries and raining lathis on farmers here. He also said the government should have been thankful to the farmers instead of using brute force against them.
Food and civil supplies minister Amarjeet Bhagat on Wednesday convened a meeting with officials and instructed them to provide gunny bags to the armers and clear the paddy procurement procedure. He also said that about 90 per cent procurement in the state has already been done and government has purchased about 82 lakh metric tonnes of paddy till now.
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