Indore: Nearly 225 BJP workers were arrested by the police here on Friday while trying to stage a rail blockade agitation in protest against the Centre's alleged anti-farmer policies.
"Nearly 225 BJP workers were arrested before they could reach the railway tracks after they entered the railway station premises to stage the agitation," Government Railway Police (GRP) Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mankamna Prasad told reporters today.
Because of elaborate security arrangements, the BJP's rail blockade agitation failed to affect rail traffic in the region, he said.
However, BJP's Kissan Morcha's Indore division pn-charge, Kanchan Singh Chouhan claimed that during the agitation, nearly 840 party workers were arrested.
He alleged that because of the Centre's anti-farmer policies, farmers face a lot of financial hardship and are forced to commit suicide, after failing to get proper support prices for their crops.
"Since the Centre does not enhance support prices for their produce, farmers are unable to repay their debt and are forced to commit suicide," he said.
Chouhan demanded that the Centre to fulfil the BJP Kissan Morcha's 15-points demand which includes loans at less or zero rate of interest, provision of financial security to farmers in view of the fact that agriculture is a risky proposition as well as implementation of recommendations by the Swaminathan panel and the Hudda panel reports.
Similar agitations are on in other parts of the state.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 7, 2014, 22:41
