Massive protests have been reported across north and south India, as farmers staged sit-ins, blocked roads and trains and took to the streets against three controversial farm Bills -- Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill – passed in the Parliament earlier this week.

Several farmer unions including the All India Farmers Union, Bharatiya Kisan Union, All India Kisan Mahasangh and All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) The Bharatiya Kisan Union Friday commenced nationwide demonstrations against the Bills. Around 31 unions called for a complete shutdown in Punjab.

According to PTI, police personnel in large numbers were deployed across Delhi, Punjab and Haryana to maintain law and order.

The Railways had to suspend operations of special trains, following the three-day rail roko agitation in Punjab and Haryana.

Tamil Nadu: Farmers from National South Indian River Interlinking Farmers’ Association sit outside Collector's office in Trichy with human skulls, chained hands and nooses around their necks to demonstrate against recent #FarmBills. pic.twitter.com/wrhLOc4Y4Y

— ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2020

Around 14 special passenger trains including, Golden Temple Mail (Amritsar-Mumbai Central), Jan Shatabdi Express (Haridwar-Amritsar), New Delhi-Jammu Tawi, Sachkhand Express (Nanded-Amritsar), and Shaheed Express (Amritsar-Jaynagar), under Ferozepur division were cancelled between September 24 and 26.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) held a three-hour road blockade across Punjab from 11 am until 2 pm.

Public transport was hit in northern states with the Ola Cab Drivers' Association and truck drivers' associations supporting farmers in the two states.

Farmers are not only protesting in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, but in states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Kerala and West Bengal.

Highways were blocked in West Bengal following the All India Kisan Sabha's call for “mass resistance" over the farm Bills. In Maharashtra, farmer unions said they would hold protests in 21 districts.

Farmers under the All India Kisan Sabha staged widespread protests in Kerala against the farm Bills and alleged that the new legislations will hand over the country's agriculture sector to corporate giants. Senior CPI(M) leader and Vice President of AIKS, S Ramachandran Pillai launched the protest in front of the Raj Bhavan and said the new agri bills will turn farmers into labourers of corporate giants.

With inputs from PTI.

First Published:Sept 25, 2020 4:39 PM IST