Bhubaneswar, Dec 14: Today just before the beginning of the ‘mega farmers’ convention’ here, the cops have detained hundreds of members of the Navnirman Krushak Sanghathan at various places of the State. It’s alleged that the cops made an attempt to stop the rally and restricted the farmers from entering the state capital.
However, some of them managed to reach the rally venue. There was a clash between the cops and the farmers at the railway station at Cuttack after the armed men had detained the farmers forcefully, who were coming from Keonjahr area in Barbi-Puri express. The outraged members of the Sangathan conducted a rail-roko for quite some time at the Station. Farmers at the Bhubaneswar Railway station were also detained by the cops.
Today the Dhenkanal police held up some members having on the farmers’ outfit at the local station there while around 20 at Raghunathpur station in Jagatsinghpur, 18 at Jajpur station have been restricted from moving. To avoid any unwanted situation and maintain law and order here, around 50 platoons of police have been deployed here. Also prohibitory orders have been directed on the procession passing on the National Highway here.
Yesterday the commissionerate police arrested the convenor of the social organization named Akshya Kumar and also his assistant Seshadev Nanda regarding the same. Another leader of the farmers named Kulamani Barik was also taken into preventive custody. However, this rally and the protest started by the farmers has been supported by the Pradesh Congress Krushak Cell.
It’s stated that the party has constantly supported the farmers’ demand for price, pension and prestige. This was said by the cell president at a media conference held at the Congress State headquarters here. The party also raised questions and criticized the action initiated by the police against the peasant leader, Akshya Kumar and his assistant Seshadev.
