Bharat Bandh against farm laws: Normal life unaffected in Maharashtra, non-BJP parties stage protests

Commercial establishments and local transport were operating as usual and normal life remained unaffected across Maharashtra on Monday even as various nonBJP parties held demonstrations and bike rallies in parts of the state in support of the Bharat Bandh called by farmer unions against the Centres three agri laws officials saidAn APMC remained closed in Pune and a profarmers outfit staged a road blockage in Nagpur while some protesters were detained at some places and later released they saidIn Mumbai Congress workers holding placards assembled at some places like Andheri and Jogeshwari and shouted slogans against the farm bills but shops and other commercial establishments were open as usual and traffic movement was normal they saidAlso Read Bharat Bandh No impact in Mumbai shops transport operating as usualAccording to a police official no additional security force was deployed in the city so far but a decision on deployment of extra police personnel may be taken later depending on the situation and programmes of political partiesTill now no extra force has been been deployed but it may be placed as per local requirement he saidThe police have also not barricaded major junctions and roads which is otherwise a normal feature during bandhs and so far no additional security forces have been called from outside the districtThere was no major protest or any untoward incident in the city so far officials saidThe 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 Delhis border points to voice their protestThe bandh is in effect from 6 am to 4 pmIn Pune commercial establishments and local transport were operating normally while a protest meeting was organised in Mandai area which was attended by workers of various parties including the NCP Congress Shiv Sena AAP Janta Dal S Shetkari Kamgar Paksh and CPIMBesides political parties several other outfits and labour organisations also participated in the protest said Nitin Pawar convenor of the Pune autorickshaw panchayatPunes Agriculture Produce Market Committee APMC also known as Marketyard remained shutTraders associations Poona Merchant Chambers and various labour unions had declared that the market will remain closed during the Bharat Bandh and farmers traders and suppliers were already informed about it the Marketyards administrator Madhukant Garad saidIn neighbouring Solapur district CPM leader Narasayya Adam led a protest on Akkalkot road in support of farmersThere was also reports of protests against the Centres three farm laws in the states Vidarbha region but normal life remained unaffectedMaharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole led a bike rally in Akola district in support of the Bharat BandhActivists of the Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha led by Arun Warkar staged a road blockade on Raipur highway in Waroda area of Nagpur district in the morningWarkar claimed the protesters were detained and later let off by policeLocal NCP leaders and workers led by the partys city unit president Duneshwar Pethe staged a demonstration at the Variety Square in NagpurIn Yavatmal Congress leader Manikrao Thakre and former minister Vasant Purke along with workers of the NCP and other parties staged a demonstration at the Sanvidhan square against the Centres three farm lawsIn Gondia district Congress workers took out a motorcycle rally in support of the Bharat BandhThe vehicle rally started from Jaistambha Chowk and passed through the citys main streets during which Congressmen shouted slogans against the Narendra Modi governmentIn Aurangabad district of Marathwada region members of the Maharashtra Rajya Kisan Sabha Shetmajur Union and various political parties held protests at the Kranti Chowk and other areas like Sillod and PaithanNearly 30 protesters including 12 women were detained in Waluj area and later released police inspector Sachin Ingole told PTIThe central government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far the last being on January 22 to break the deadlock and end the farmers protestTalks have not resumed following widespread violence during a tractor rally by protesting farmers in Delhi on January 26The three laws The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce Promotion and Facilitation Act 2020 The Farmers Empowerment and Protection Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and The Essential Commodities Amendment Act 2020 were passed by Parliament in September last yearFarmer groups have alleged that these laws will end the mandi and the MSP minimum support price procurement systems and leave cultivators at the mercy of big corporates The government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced and asserted that these steps will help increase farmers incomeThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no 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