Opposition accuses Centre of trying to intimidate agitating farmers

PATNA: Braving biting cold, thousands of farmers on Saturday joined the

human chain

organised by the opposition parties in districts against the three farm laws recently enacted by the Centre.

In Ara, a two-minute silence was observed to pay tributes to the farmers who have died in the country during agitation. The farmers were seen participating in human chain under the banners of the CPI (ML), RJD, Congress, CPI and CPI (M).

RJD’s Bhojpur district president Birbal Yadav said the human chain started from Ara railway station and passed through Nawada, sadar hospital and Shivganj before culminating at Dharhara. Another chain was formed from the overbridge to the Zero Mile.

In Bhagalpur and Banka districts, the human chain was organised in 16 and 11 blocks, respectively. Netas and supporters of RJD, Congress and Left parties participated in the human chain along with a section of farmers and social activists.

Bulo Mandal, former Bhagalpur MP and national president of youth wing of RJD, said the human chain was formed to express solidarity with the agitating farmers and oppose the newly enacted farm laws

Similarly, the human chain was formed from Begusarai bus stand to Kutchery Road. Opposition leaders said the government was trying to weaken the farmers’ agitation by sponsoring attacks on them. “Police forces are being used to intimidate the agitating farmers,” they said. CPI MLA Awadhesh Rai, former CPI (M) MLA Rajendra Prasad Singh, former RJD district chief Asjok Yadav, CPI (ML) leaders Diwalar and Chandradeo Verma and Congress’s district chief Arjun Singh participated in the human chain.

In Nalanda, hundreds of Mahagathbandhan leaders, farmers and members of social organisations participated in the human chain at different places. The human chain in the district started from Dhoba bridge near Harnaut to Giriak bordering Nawada district.

Nalanda district president of Congress Dilip Kumar said the BJP, VHP and right wing organisations tried to sabotage the peaceful protests of farmers, but they were exposed.

In Nawada, a 1km-long human chain was formed from Prajatantra Dwar to the civil court complex. RJD’s Nawada MLA Vibha Devi and Govindpur MLA Mohammad Kamran as well as the party’s district president Mahendra Yadav also joined the chain.

In Gaya, the chain was formed from Grand Trunk road to Makhdumpur. Congress’s Magadh zone spokesman Bijay Kumar Mithu said common people also participated in the protest. Congress district President Chandrika Prasad Yadav said the human chain was a big success in Gaya.

(With inputs from Praveen in Ara, Kumar Rajesh in Bhagalpur, Rajiv Kumar in Begusarai, Farrukh Nadim in Biharsharif, S B Sinha in Nawada and Alok Kumar in Gaya)