Street protests held in favour of farmers’ demands in J&K, scores detained

Police stop the President of J&K State CITU Y. Tarigami and other All Central Trade Unions Federations and Samyukta Kisan Morcha leaders and workers during a protest march in support of the Bharat Bandh call given by various farmers’ organisations, in Jammu, on Feb. 16, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Scores of protesting trade union leaders were detained in Jammu and Kashmir on February 16 during street protests against the government’s “anti-farmer, anti-worker and pro-capitalist policies and to press for farmers demands”.

Activists of the J&K Apple Farmers’ Federation, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and Kisan Tehrik held a demonstration in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk area. A protester said “peaceful protest demonstration was organised in response to ‘Gramin Bharat Bandh’.

A trade union leader said police used force and arrested members of the Jammu Kashmir Apple Farmers Federations in Srinagar. “This high handedness of police is highly unwarranted and unacceptable,” he said.

In a similar street protest in Jammu, hundreds of farmers and members of CITU held a street protest. CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami addressed the workers in Jammu.

“The use of brute force against peaceful protesters is an affront to democracy and a violation of fundamental rights,” Mr. Tarigami said.

He said the government was only using ‘jumlas’ and nothing concrete was being done for the people. “The greatest tribute to Dr. Swaminathan would be if his recommendations of Minimum Support Price (MSP) are being implemented,” Mr. Tarigami said.

He said the government waived off ₹15 lakh crores worth of loans of corporates but is not willing to waive off the loans of farmers.

Meanwhile, Kishore Kumar, president, Jammu and Kashmir Kisan Tehrikh, sought the implementation of MSP on Basmati rice and other crops.