Cong stages protests against farm laws in Maha; warns of intensifying agitation

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole, who led the party's hunger strike at Mahatma Gandhi statue near Mantralaya here, also hit out at the Centre over the rise in fuel prices and labour reforms.

The Congress on Friday staged protests in parts of Maharashtra against the Centre's three farm laws, with the party's state chief Nana Patole warning that it will intensify the demonstrations if the Narendra Modi government does not heed the farmers' stir near Delhi.

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole led the party delegation to meet CM Uddhav Thackeray. (HT PHOTO) (HT_PRINT)

Patole, who led the party's hunger strike at Mahatma Gandhi statue near Mantralaya here, also hit out at the Centre over the rise in fuel prices and labour reforms.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Mumbai Congress president Ashok alias Bhai Jagtap and ministers Yashomati Thakur, Amit Deshmukh, Varsha Gaikwad and others also took part in the agitation staged in support of the Bharat Bandh call given by some farmers' bodies.

"The Narendra Modi government enacted the farm and labour laws after trampling on democratic values and traditions. There is anger across the country against the laws," Patole said.

He alleged that farmers' have been protesting near the Delhi border for the last four months, but the Modi government refuses to give up its "obdurate" approach.

"The Prime Minister has gone abroad (Bangladesh) today when the farmers' bodies have called a Bharat Bandh. This is arrogance. We will intensify protests if the Modi government does not take note of the farmers' stir," Patole said.

Noting that the Centre has stayed the implementation of the farm laws, Chavan said the Modi government should now frame new laws after holding a discussion with farmers.

"The new laws should be kept before the standing committee of the Parliament," he added.

Jagtap claimed that, compared to India, petrol and diesel are cheaper in Pakistan and Nepal. "Loot is on in India," he alleged.

Other Congress ministers in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government Balasaheb Thorat, Sunil Kedar, Satej Patil and Vishwajeet Kadam took part in the party's protests in Shrirampur (Ahmednagar district), Savner (Nagpur), Kolhapur and Sangli respectively.