CPI(ML) holds rallies in Bihar to support farmers’ stir

PATNA: CPI(ML) organized rallies in different parts of the state on Monday to show solidarity with the agitating farmers of Punjab and Haryana.
Party general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said the “anti-farmer policies” of the Centre led to the emergence of “peaceful Shaheen Bagh type” of protests on the outskirts of Delhi. Addressing a rally at Kargil Chowk in Patna, Bhattacharya said instead of holding talks with the agitating farmers, the Centre appears to be engaged in fighting a battle with them.
CPI(ML) has also decided to participate in the protest to be organized by the Kisan Sabha on December 2. A party communique said strong protest rallies were organized in Bhojpur, Siwan, Arwal, Jehanabad, Gopalganj, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Vaishali, Buxar, Gaya, Nawada and Madhubani districts.
Bhattacharya said the farmers’ anger was not sudden and, in fact, had been building up for some time past against the three anti-Kisan Acts brought out by the Centre.
He said the Centre should stop spreading misinformation about the farmers’ agitation. The protests have first surfaced in Punjab and Haryana because the farmers there are relatively richer than those in Bihar, but the anger has also been brewing up in the state, he said.
Noting that the three Acts were passed in questionable ways, Bhattacharya said the Centre has also adopted anti-labour policy, besides bringing in the Citizenship Amendment Act, which together have induced anger among various sections of society.
Among others who also addressed the protest rally at Kargil Chowk were CPI(ML) state secretary Kunal, politburo member Amar and several other functionaries, including CPI(ML) MLAs Mahboob Alam and Gopal Ravidas, as well as Meena Tiwari, Saroj Choubey and K D Yadav.