J&K: 50 people detained ahead of protest in Lal Chowk in support of farmers’ demands

Jammu and Kashmir police on Friday detained 50 trade union leaders and activists who were planning to stage a protest in support of agitating farmers’ demands at Lal Chowk here.

The protest was in response to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s call to form a ‘Bharat Bandh’ to force the government to accept the demands of agitated farmers, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

The leaders and activists were detained by the police when they were gathering to protest near Pratap Park on Residential Road and were taken to Koti Bagh police station, officials said. CPI(M) leader MY Tarigami condemned the police action.

“Unequivocally condemn the use of force by Apple Farmers Federation of India, program staff and CITU leaders against peaceful protests organized by Grameen Bharat Bandh,” Tarigami said in a series of posts on X, including Kulgam District Development Committee (DDC) Chairman Mohammad Afzal, Indian Apple Farmers Federation Chairman Zahoor Ahmed Rather, Secretary-General Abdul Rashid and many other leaders “were called upon to After being put into a police car, he was unfairly arrested.”

“The use of violence against peaceful protesters is an affront to democracy and a violation of fundamental rights,” he added. Farmers in Punjab began their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on Tuesday, but the procession in Shambhu, between Punjab and Haryana, and Khanauri border point was blocked by security personnel.

The protesting farmers have been camping at the border point since then. Their turmoil entered its fourth day on Friday.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)