Farmers protest agri-related Bills in U'khand

Farmers on Friday hit the streets in parts of Uttarakhand in protest against the farm Bills passed by Parliament recently.Protesting farmers jammed the highway outside the Gud Mandi at Manglaur in Haridwar district for three hours.

They said if they get the right price for their produce, they don't need loans. Government introduces loan disbursement schemes to put money into the pockets of ministers and officials, they alleged.

Farmers gathered under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait) outside the Gud Mandi.Terming the farm bills passed by Parliament as “black laws”, the protesting farmers said if the government is really keen on helping farmers, then it should ensure that they get the right price for their crops.

The farmers lifted the blockade after handing over a memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to officials.Farmers and NSUI workers also burnt an effigy of the Union government in Roorkee in protest against the farm bills.

NSUI district president Sachin Chaudhry said the farm Bills were meant to benefit industrialist friends of the Centre by making farmers' interests subservient to theirs.

Angry farmers also created a jam at DD Chowk in Rudraprayag in Udham Singh Nagar district and demanded the withdrawal of the legislations. The Sikh-dominated Terai areas of the district saw farmers led by Tejinder Singh Virk protesting on tractors.