Bihar: Left Parties Protest in Support of Delhi’s Farmers, Burn Effigies of PM Modi

Patna: Thousands of leaders and workers from Left parties took to the streets on Wednesday, staging protests, rallies and demonstrations across Bihar in solidarity with the protesting farmers in Delhi. They demanded the withdrawal of the Farm Laws and burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has recently reiterated that the legislations would be beneficial for the farmers.

Leaders from the Left parties have also made it clear that they will mobilise farmers and workers in the state and organise a peaceful Kisan Satyagraha from December 5 in support of the protesting farmers.

Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders and workers have also joined the protest in the state after the party extended its support to the protesting farmers.

In Patna, hundreds of leaders and workers from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and RJD leaders and workers, alongside peasants, intellectuals and members of civil society bodies staged a protest at Buddha Smriti Park followed by a protest march.

During the protest march here, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI (M) state secretary Awadesh Kumar and former JNUSU president and CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar addressed the meeting near Dak Bunglow square. The protest march was also addressed by other leaders as well.

The Left parties leaders not only expressed their anger against the government repression towards protesting farmers in Delhi, but also warned the Centre against resorting to any means necessary to suppress the protesting farmers.

Bhattacharya said farmers have been agitating against the anti-farmer policies of the central government. “Farmers protests against the anti-farmer Farm Laws are coming up across the country. The Narendra Modi government has been waging a war against the farmers,” Bhattacharya said.

CPI (M) leader Awadesh Kumar said: “We are standing with the farmers protesting against the kaala kanoon (black law). We will continue to support them and our protest will continue till central government withdraws the Farm Laws, which are against the farmers.”

He said the Farm Laws were “pro-corporate” and “anti-farmer.” However, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been reiterating the BJP’s stand and defending the Centre.

The CPI (M) leader also threatened to intensify the protest against the Farm Laws in Bihar.

Senior RJD leader Alok Mehta said that contrary to the chief minister's claim that there was no problem in procurement and with regard to the MSP, farmers have been forced to sell paddy at Rs 1,000 per quintal.

Last week, sixteen MLAs from the Left parties raised their voice against the police action against protesting farmers in the recently-concluded winter session of the Bihar Assembly and demanded the withdrawal of the three laws.

The Opposition Mahagathbandhan including Left parties, the RJD and the Congress protested inside and outside the Bihar assembly. They condemned the police action against protesting farmers and demanded the withdrawal of the laws