India News | C'garh BJP Protests, Claims Mismanagement in Paddy Procurement

Raipur, Jan 22 (PTI) The BJP on Friday held protests against Chhattisgarh's Bhupesh Baghel government and alleged the paddy procurement drive in the state was mismanaged.

A bid to gherao (encircle) the collectorate here as part of the protest was foiled by police.

Among those who took part in the protest near the collectorate were former CM Raman Singh, party's Chhattisgarh in charge Nitin Nabin, and former state minister Brijmohan Agrawal.

Some 2,000 BJP workers were arrested under preventive measures and were later released unconditionally, Raipur Additional Superintendent of Police (Urban) Lakhan Patle told PTI.

The party said over 10,000 workers participated in the protest in Raipur, with many of them arriving in bullock carts in farm attire.

Singh said the state government must stop mismanagement in the paddy procurement drive and also give Rs 25 lakh to the kin of farmers who had committed suicide.

The protests in Jagdalpur was led by state unit chief Vishnu Deo Sai.

The state Congress called the BJP protests "a flop show" and said over 90 percent of paddy procurement had already been completed in the state.

"The BJP staged protests at a time when over 19 lakh farmers have sold their paddy at support price in the state. Till Thursday, a record 84 lakh tonne paddy has been procured in the ongoing Kharif season with nine days till to go," said Chandrashekhar Shukla, CPCC farm leader.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)