Maha: 'Rasta rokos' in Karad, Kolhapur; many farmers detained

'Rasta rokos' were staged in Karadand Kolhapur cities in Maharashtra on Saturday as part of the'chakka jam' protest called by farmer bodies agitating atborders of New Delhi against the three new farm laws.

At least 40 protesters, including senior Congressleader Prithviraj Chavan's wife Satvasheela Chavan andfarmers, were detained by the police for holding the proteston a busy road at Kolhapur Naka in Karad in westernMaharashtra this afternoon, a police official said.

They were detained under sections 68 and 69 of theMumbai Police Act and released, he said.

As per farmer unions, the 'chakka jam' includesblocking national and state highways between 12 noon and 3 pmo protest the internet ban in areas near their agitationsites, harassment allegedly meted out to them by authorities,and other issues.

In Kolhapur city, also in western Maharashtra,Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna leader Raju Shetti led a protestagainst the farm laws.

Shetti and some farmers were detained for staging arasta roko at Dabholkar Chowk in afternoon. They were releasedlater, a local police official said.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi'sborders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh demanding the rollbackof the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion andFacilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment andProtection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm ServicesAct, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The protesting farmers have expressed apprehensionthat these laws would pave the way for the dismantling of theminimum support price system, leaving them at the mercy of bigcorporations.

However, the government has maintained that the lawswill ensure better opportunities for farmers and bring in newtechnologies in agriculture.