Nagpur: Large number of organizations staged chakka jam (road blockade) agitations across Vidarbha against the three farm laws enacted by the central government. Activists of the three major parties of the state — Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena — by and large kept away from these agitations. Sena activists staged demonstrations against fuel price hike at various places in the region.
In Nagpur, activists of Aam Admi Party (AAP) and Kisan Samanvay Samiti staged a chakka jam for about three hours at Indora Square. The AAP activists were led by Vidarbha convener Devendra Wankhade. Kisan Samanvay Samiti is a federation of several organizations that are opposing the farm laws.
Activists of Samyukt Kisan Morcha staged demonstrations at Samvidhan Square. Arun Latkar addressed the activists on the dangers posed by the three laws.
In Yavatmal district, activists of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, Prahar Jan Shakti, Shetkari Sanghatana MIM, Rashtriya Kisan Morcha, Rashtriya Muslim Morcha etc blocked highways at Pandharkawda, Pusad and Mahagaon. Traffic at Shivaji Square in Pusad town was disrupted for three hours.
In Wardha district, road blockades were staged in Pavnar, Talegaon and Hinganghat. In Pavnar and Hinganghat a federation of several social organizations blocked the road for half an hour before police detained them. In Talegaon, the agitation was led by former Congress MLA Amar Kale.
Chakka jam was done at several places in Chandrapur district. Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) led the agitation in Chandrapur city. Members of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and CITU, led by KK Singh, prevented transport of coal from Durgapur open cast mine for three hours. In Chandrapur city, Jan Vikas Sena of Pradip ‘Pappu’ Deshmukh burned copies of farm laws. The agitation in Warora was led by the local unit of NCP. The Communist Party of India (CPI), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and NCP activists blocked the road at Bramhapuri.
Activists of Shiv Sena led by their mahanagar pramukh (metropolitan chief) Pramod Manmode staged demonstrations against central government for hiking prices of petrol and diesel. The activists loaded motorcycles on bullock carts and pulled the carts to symbolize the pain felt by common people due to fuel price hike. Dushyant Chaturvedi, Nitin Tiwari and other leaders were present.
(With inputs from TO Abraham, Mazhar Ali and Balwant Dhage)