100 farmers from Karnataka on way to protest in Delhi halted at Bhopal
A leader regretted that while the Central government was holding peace meetings with farmers, the government was stopping farmers from joining the protest
Around 100 farmers from Karnataka were stopped by the police in Bhopal when they were travelling in a train to the national capital to take part in a protest on February 13, a farmers' body said.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) south India convenor Shanthakumar said he was also with the group in the train and "the police stopped us at the Bhopal station, and some of our members were injured".
Shanthakumar, however, managed to reach Delhi. He regretted that while the Central government was holding peace meetings with farmer groupings, the government was stopping farmers from joining the protest.
Shanthakumar said the protest was planned three months earlier.
Farmers’ demands
Besides a legal guarantee for minimum support price, the farmers want the implementation of the MS Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm laborers, farm debt waiver, withdrawal of police cases as well as justice for victims of the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.
Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai are due to meet the protesting farmers' organisations, including SKM, in Chandigarh.
(With agency inputs)