By PTI
RAIPUR: The Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions against the Centre’s three agriculture laws evoked a mixed response in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh as most of the shops and establishments remained open in major cities.
Agitators staged protests at different locations and briefly blocked roads at many places in the state demanding repeal of the three laws.
Overall, the bandh remained peaceful with no untoward incident reported so far from any part of Chhattisgarh.
The ruling Congress had extended support to the national shutdown.
The Bharat Bandh, called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 40 farm unions, marks one year since President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the three controversial laws and 10 months since thousands of farmers set up camp at Delhi’s border points to voice their protest.
The bandh is in effect from 6 am to 4 pm.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday tweeted that he supports the peaceful bandh and stands with farmer brothers.
Claiming that the bandh was successful, Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha (CKS) chief Sanjay Parate said farmers, labourers and people from Surguja (northern Chhattisgarh) to Bastar (southern Chhattisgarh) have extended their support to farm unions protesting against the three black laws.
Protests were held in Rajnandgaon, Durg, Raipur, Dhamtari, Bastar, Bilaspur, Janjgir-Champa and other districts while farmers and tribals also blocked roads on many routes including Bakimongra-Bilaspur, Ambikapur-Raigarh, Surajpur-Banaras and Balrampur-Ranchi, Parate said.
Farmer leaders also addressed meetings at many places and demanded the withdrawal of the three laws and sought to enact a law to ensure a guarantee to the minimum support price (MSP) for all farm produce, he said.
Most of the shops and other commercial establishments remained open throughout the day in the state capital Raipur and public transport remained unaffected.
At some groups of agitators were seen asking shop owners to shut their facilities here.
In other major districts, including Bilaspur, Raigarh, Korba, Durga and Rajnandgaon, also the shops and commercial establishments functioned normally.
Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has accused the ruling Congress of misleading farmers over the farm laws.
“Despite the ruling party’s support to the bandh call, there was no impact of it in the state. It clearly indicates that the farmers of Chhattisgarh have recognized the Congress and its hidden agenda. The party has been misleading farmers,” said Sandip Sharma, state in-charge of BJP’s Kisan Morcha.
Sharma also asked the Congress government to stay away from “drama” happening in the name of the farmers’ movement and to work with honesty in the interest of farmers.
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