Jammu, January 15 (KNS): Police today resorted to mild lathicharge and took hundreds of Congress leaders and workers led by JKPCC President G A Mir into police custody after minor scuffle from near Raghunath Mandir Chowk Jammu , when they were marching towards Raj Bhawan from Congress Headquarter Saheedi Chowk Jammu over the issue of farmers and the price of petrol and diesel.
As per the statement issued to KNS, The PCC Chief G A Mir and others Senior leaders led the strong protest of hundreds of Congress workers including women and youth who broke the police barricades and the enthusiastic Congress workers broke the Police cordon at several places enroute and forced their march ahead towards Raghunath Bazar Chowk.
Carrying playcards and banners, raising Strong slogans, a massive protest demonstration ,as part of the nationwide programme of Indian National Congress-"Kissan Adhikar Diwas" in support of the agitating farmers ,seeking repeal of three black laws besides roll back of unprecedented hike of petrol and diesel prices was taken out. The hundred of Congress worker's led by leaders of Pradesh Congress Committee, Kisaan Wing, Mahila Congress, Youth Congress, Seva Dal and other frontal wings like Minority, OBC, Un-Organised Labour Wing, Refugee Cell, Legal & RTI Cell, ST Wing including Former Ministers, former legislators and corporators, took out a march from the party HQ today morning towards Raj Bhawan via Residency Road and Raghunath Bazar where most of them were taken into custody while few others march ahead towards City Chowk and held a dharna there.
Prominent among those who participated in the rally include Former ministers Mula Ram, Raman Bhalla, R S Chib, Balwan Singh Ex-MLA, Ravinder Sharma, Yogesh Sawhney, Kanta Bhan, Th Manmohan singh, Rajnish Sharma, Ex MLA Shiv Dev singh, Ch Gharu Ram, Th Balbir Singh,Ex-MLA, T S Bajwa Ex MP, Ch Shah Mohammad, Shabir Ahmed Khan Ex Minister, Krishan Krishan Bhagat Bhagat MLA, Udey Chib, Rajesh Sadhotra, vandana Makhnotra, Feroz Khan, Ch Abdul Ghani, Vinod Sharma, Th Hari Singh, Sdr Gurdarshan Singh, Suresh Dogra, Ch Dwarka and others.
The protesters were forcibly stopped by the heavy contingents of police at different places enroute but the protestors forced their march upto near raghunath Raghunath Chowk despite heavy resistance.
The police took most of the leaders and prominent activists at Raghunath Chowk and Denis gate into custody and took them to District Police Gandhi Nagar but several workers including women activists reached upto City Chowk Jammu and halted the traffic and held Dharna.
They were arrested at City Chowk and taken to Police lines later, they included Corporators Ritu Chowdhury, Vandana Makhnotra, Dr R K Khajuria, Suresh Dogra and Virinder Singh Chib and various others Prominent arrested include Ashwani Puri, Pawan Raina, Shashi Sharma, Pankaj Dogra, Sanjeev Pandit, Sanjeev Sharma ,Col Swarn, Tirth Bhagat, Corporators Bhanu Mahajan, Ch Sobat Ali, Gourav Chopra, Ritu Choudhary, Inderjeet kour, Mouddin khemu,pritam singh,rashpal bhardwaj, all Corporators,Manjit Jatt, Amrit Bali, Dr Ramakant, Ashok Bhagat Narinder Gupta, Kapil Singh, Adv Bhavishya Soodan, Ch Aiyaz, Sahil Sharma, Karan Bhagat, Sonu Dogra, Vijay Sharma, Sanjay Manhas, Ch Masood Adv, Rehmatullah Rounyal, Rajesh Kumar, Gurmeet Singh, Gulzar Wani, Ricky Dalotra, Javed Lone, Baldev Singh Wazir, Kewel Yogi, Ashwani Sharma. Lucky Ssingh, Ram Mangotra, Pawan Singh and Dwarka Prashad, Sr. Vice President Rural District Ravinder Singh, Mohan Choudhary, Chander Prabha, Romesh Mottan, Shil Sharma, Gurmeet Kour, Kuldeep Sharma, Rajdev Singh, Sham Mottton and others.
Earlier, addressing the large gathering at the Shaheed Chowk, outside Congress HQ, JKPCC chief G A Mir lashed out at the Modi led BJP government for it's adamant attitude and anti farmers black laws as the farmers are agitating on the Delhi borders for the last around fifty days. Around sixty farmers have lost lives in the agitation but the government is trying to tire out the farmers and not Conceeding their genuine demands. The future of 62 Crore farmers is in the danger and the government is playing into the hands of rich industrial houses and capitalists.
He said congress fully backs the agitation if farmers for repeal of three black laws immediately.
Shri Mir referred to the massive hike in the price of petrol and diesel which is highest in Last 73 Years. He said that Modi Govt has earned more than 19 lakh crores in six years out of tax on petrol and diesel.
He said the crude oil in the international market is at 50 USD per barrel while the rates of fuel are highest while during Dr. Manmohan Singh Government it was 110 USD per barrel but rates were lower than today. seeking roll back of the price hike, he said the Modi government is charging high excise duty which is 258 percent higher to UPA in petrol and 820 percent higher in Diesel, which is totally unreasonable.
Several other senior leaders also addressed the gathering at district police lines during Custody.
Shri Raman Bhalla said that the farmers in the country are on war path due to pro capitalists policies of Modi government and said that we would hold massive protests to press for repeal of black laws and the unprecedented price hike of fuel. He said crores of famers in the country are agitating against farmer law but Modi Govt. is not listening to the farmers.
Shri Mula Ram in his address termed the Modi Govt. as anti farmers, anti youth and anti poor people. The farmers are suffering due to the wrong policies of Modi Govt. and agitating farmers on roads but the government is not listening to the genuine demands of farmers.
Th. Balwan Singh charged Modi Govt. of being pro-rich and pro capitalists and trying to help the corporate sector at the cost of farmers. The Congress always sided with farmers, poor and labour class in the country.
Shri Yogesh Sawhney blamed the BJP of ruining the farmers in the country and playing into the hands of Corporate lobby. The demands of farmers should be considered and the black law repeated he demanded.
Shri Ravinder Sharma said that BJP is anti farmers and pro-rich and pro Corporate while poor and common people are being looted. He said Modi Govt. earned 19 Lac Crores from people as Tax on Petrol and Diesel in Six years. He said that crude oil was at 110 USD per barrel during UPA government and is 50 USD today but rates of petrol and diesel are higher today.
Later the arrested leaders were released from the Custody (KNS).