India: UPCC President held while protesting farm laws

Ajay Kumar Lallu

Lucknow Sep 28 (PTI) UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu and other party workers were held while staging protest against the new farm laws in the state capital on Monday, a party leader said.

Led by the UPCC president, Congress workers from all over the state converged at the Parivartan Chowk here and staged a protest against the "anti-farm" laws, party's media convenor Lalan Kumar said.

While trying to move towards the Raj Bhawan, party workers and its chief were held, Kumar said.

There are reports from some districts that party workers, who were on their way to Lucknow to take part in the programme, were detained and not allowed to proceed, Lalan claimed.

The workers raised slogans against the new laws and said party would force the government to take them back, Lalan said.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday gave assent to three contentious farm bills passed in Parliament last week that have triggered farmers' protest in some states.

These three farm bills are: The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.