E-Paper
26 detained at rally against farm laws in Maharashtra's Yavatmal
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, who was scheduled to hold a 'Maha Panchayat' at the venue, cancelled his visit. The Yavatmal district administration had denied permission twice to hold the rally at Azad Maidan in light of Covid-19 restrictions.
At least 26 workers of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) were detained on Saturday, as they reached Azad Maidan in Yavatmal city of eastern Maharashtra to protest against the Centre's new farm laws without permission from the district administration.
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, who was scheduled to hold a 'Maha Panchayat' at the venue, cancelled his visit.
The Yavatmal district administration had denied permission twice to hold the rally at Azad Maidan in light of Covid-19 restrictions.
The rally began from Butibori in Nagpur and proceeded to Wardha, where representatives of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha Tejbir Singh and Guru Amanjit Singh addressed the protestors.
At least 39 social organisations had arranged a public gathering to welcome Tikait at Bajaj Square, where an agitation has been going on since the last 67 days to support farmers protesting at Delhi border for repeal of the three new farm laws.
More than 100 people had gathered here under banner Wardha Jilha Shetkari-Kamgar Andolan Samanvyay Samiti.
Subsequently, protestors reached Azad Maidan in Yavatmal and raised slogans against the Central government, amid heavy police deployment.
While no one was allowed to enter the ground, 26 SKM workers were detained and an offence is being registered in this regard, a senior police official said.
