PATNA: The fortnight-long statewide campaign of the farmers, their supporting organisations and political parties under the banner of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) began in the state on Monday with demonstrations at all 38 district headquarters. The farmers are protesting the three farm laws enacted by the Centre recently.
Over the next fortnight, members of the AIKSCC and its associated organisations would hold Kisan Chaupals and meetings in the villages and towns, where resolutions in support of the six-point charter of demands of the farmers would be adopted.
The protests will culminate with a march to the Raj Bhavan on December 29 when a memorandum would be submitted to governor Phagu Chauhan. The representatives of the supporting political parties will also participate in the march to the Raj Bhavan.
The agitating farmers maintained that the paddy produced by the state’s farmers was not being purchased by the Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS), as a result of which they were selling it in the open market at rates in the range of Rs 900-Rs 1,100 per quintal, when the MSP rate for the general/ordinary paddy is Rs 1,868 per quintal and for the A-grade paddy Rs 1,888 per quintal.
The Monday’s one-day demonstration held under the banner of the AIKSCC also had the supporting presence of the leaders, MLAs and workers from the Congress, CPI(ML), CPI, CPI-M, Forward Bloc and Socialist Unity Centre of India. The RJD did not participate in it, even as it has lent its support to the demands of the farmers.
In Patna, Congress president Madan Mohan Jha and the party’s legislature party leader in state assembly Ajit Sharma also participated in the demonstration. Earlier, members of the organisations and supporting parties congregated near Buddha Smriti Park and formed a rally that was addressed by the leaders of various organisations and parties concerned. The speakers said farmers in the state had also joined the demonstration and the Centre should accept their demands.
Later, the protesters marched to the Hindi Bhavan shouting slogans and submitted a memorandum to the magistrate from the office of the Patna DM.