Protesting Cong workers canecharged in MP

BHOPAL : Congress workers protesting against the three agriculture laws clashed with the police and allegedly hurled stones while on their way to gherao Raj Bhavan in Bhopal on Saturday, prompting police to use water cannons, tear gas and canes to disperse them, officials said.

At least six police personnel and some people were injured in the incident, while 106 protesters were detained and released later, an officer said.

Hundreds of workers of the Congress led by Madhya Pradesh party unit chief Kamal Nath took part in the protest.

The clash occurred at the barricaded GTB area close to Roshanpur square. TT Nagar area superintendent of police Umesh Tiwari said more than half a dozen people including six policemen were injured. “A man sustained injury to his head. He wasn’t a protester,” he added.

“Police first used water cannons, then fired tear gas shells. The protesters threw stones, broke down barricades and attacked police personnel, prompting the police to resort to mild lathi charge,” Tiwari said.

The Tiwari denied police used force to suppress the protest. Addressing protesters at Jawahar Chowk before the clash, Nath said the three new farm laws enacted by the Central government were completely antifarmer. “The three laws would benefit only capitalists while the farmers would become slaves and bonded labourers of industrialists,” he said.

Alleging that small and marginalised farmers were ignored while making these laws, Nath said mandis and minimum support price (MSP) regime will come to end if these legislations are implemented.