BARGARH/BERHAMPUR: Hundreds of farmers in Bargarh, in response to a nationwide call by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), on Monday staged a ‘jail bharo’ protest, raising a host of demands including withdrawal of the mandatory AgriStack-based registration system.
The farmers, under the aegis of Sanjukta Krushak Sangathan (SKS), gathered at Gandhi Chowk and took out a rally to the SP office, raising slogans against the government.
They later staged a demonstration in front of the office. Addressing the gathering, SKM central member Aflatoon criticised the government’s policies towards farmers and workers. Other speakers highlighted the organisation’s 11-point charter of demands.
Farmer leader Utpanna Bhoi also criticised the government’s position on Agristack. The protest later intensified with police detaining around 300 agitating farmers and taking them to the Reserve Police Ground at Charkharkend. The protesters held another meeting there and announced further agitation against the AgriStack registration system.
They decided to submit a memorandum to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on August 13 through PACSs, demanding withdrawal of AgriStack requirements, further announcing of a larger protest on August 14.
Among those detained were farmer leaders Ramesh Mahapatra, Sudam Patra, Thabir Sahu, Prakash Behera, Ishant Bhoi, Suresh Nikenti and Bikash Agrawal.
In Ganjam, hundreds of workers, farmers and agriculture labourers staged dharna in front of the southern Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC)’s office demanding repeal of the labour codes, implementation of the minimum support price (MSP) for farm produce and measures to control rising prices of commodities.
The protest was organised by central trade unions, Samyukta Kisan Morcha and agricultural labour organisations as part of a nationwide call against what they termed as the anti-worker and anti-farmer policies of the central government.
The agitators sought reduction in prices of petrol and diesel, job opportunities for the unemployed, end to contractual and outsourcing systems, withdrawal of the New Education Policy and reforms to make the examination systems error-free. They also sought restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women and an end to alleged government interference in constitutional institutions.
