Bharat Bandh against farm laws: Normal life unaffected in Maharashtra, non-BJP parties stage protests

Protest at Sion circle. Pic/Shadab Khan

Commercial establishments and local transport were operating as usual and normal life remained unaffected across Maharashtra on Monday even as various non-BJP parties held demonstrations and bike rallies in parts of the state in support of the Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions against the Centre's three agri laws, officials said.

An APMC remained closed in Pune and a pro-farmers' outfit staged a road blockage in Nagpur, while some protesters were detained at some places and later released, they said.

In Mumbai, Congress workers, holding placards, assembled at some places like Andheri and Jogeshwari and shouted slogans against the farm bills, but shops and other commercial establishments were open as usual and traffic movement was normal, they said.

Also Read: Bharat Bandh: No impact in Mumbai; shops, transport operating as usual

According to a police official, no additional security force was deployed in the city so far, but a decision on deployment of extra police personnel may be taken later depending on the situation and programmes of political parties.

"Till now, no extra force has been been deployed, but it may be placed as per local requirement," he said.

The police have also not barricaded major junctions and roads, which is otherwise a normal feature during bandhs, and so far no additional security forces have been called from outside the district.

There was no major protest or any untoward incident in the city so far, officials said.

The Bharat Bandh, called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, marks one year since President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the three controversial laws and 10 months since thousands of farmers set up camp at Delhi's border points to voice their protest.

The bandh is in effect from 6 am to 4 pm.

In Pune, commercial establishments and local transport were operating normally, while a protest meeting was organised in Mandai area which was attended by workers of various parties, including the NCP, Congress, Shiv Sena, AAP, Janta Dal (S), Shetkari Kamgar Paksh and CPI(M).

"Besides political parties, several other outfits and labour organisations also participated in the protest," said Nitin Pawar, convenor of the Pune autorickshaw panchayat.

Pune's Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), also known as Marketyard, remained shut.

"Traders' associations, Poona Merchant Chambers and various labour unions had declared that the market will remain closed during the Bharat Bandh, and farmers, traders and suppliers were already informed about it," the Marketyard's administrator, Madhukant Garad, said.

In neighbouring Solapur district, CPM leader Narasayya Adam led a protest on Akkalkot road in support of farmers.

There was also reports of protests against the Centre's three farm laws in the state's Vidarbha region, but normal life remained unaffected.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole led a bike rally in Akola district in support of the Bharat Bandh.

Activists of the Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha, led by Arun Warkar, staged a road blockade on Raipur highway in Waroda area of Nagpur district in the morning.

Warkar claimed the protesters were detained and later let off by police.

Local NCP leaders and workers, led by the party's city unit president Duneshwar Pethe, staged a demonstration at the Variety Square in Nagpur.

In Yavatmal, Congress leader Manikrao Thakre and former minister Vasant Purke along with workers of the NCP and other parties staged a demonstration at the Sanvidhan square against the Centre's three farm laws.

In Gondia district, Congress workers took out a motorcycle rally in support of the Bharat Bandh.

The vehicle rally started from Jaistambha Chowk and passed through the city's main streets during which Congressmen shouted slogans against the Narendra Modi government.

In Aurangabad district of Marathwada region, members of the Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha, Shetmajur Union and various political parties held protests at the Kranti Chowk and other areas like Sillod and Paithan.

Nearly 30 protesters, including 12 women, were detained in Waluj area and later released, police inspector Sachin Ingole told PTI.

The central government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock and end the farmers' protest.

Talks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers in Delhi on January 26.

The three laws -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- were passed by Parliament in September last year.

Farmer groups have alleged that these laws will end the 'mandi' and the MSP (minimum support price) procurement systems and leave cultivators at the mercy of big corporates. The government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced and asserted that these steps will help increase farmers' income.

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