Several CPI(M) activists were injured in clashes between the Left parties and the police during a 'Jail Bharo' today in various parts of West Bengal to protest against the alleged apathy of the state and central governments towards farmers, police said.
The agitation was a part of a nation-wide programme to protest against the "pro-corporate" economic policies being allegedly pursued in the agricultural sector by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
The CPI(M) farmer wing, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) organized the 'Jail Bharo' across the state during the day demanding proper implementation of loan waiver scheme for farmers and the West Bengal and the central government's failure to secure the minimum support price(MSP) for agriculture produce, the party sources said.
"The prime minister has to fulfill the promises he had made during his election campiagn in 2014," CPI(M) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra said.
The AIKS said that it will collect at least 10 crore signatures across the country in support of its demand and will send it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the district collectors.
"Our demand is either the government fulfills our demands or arrests us. The Kisan Sabha will submit a charter of demands to the Centre and if the government is not willing to change its anti-farmer policies then we will launch nation wide struggle," said a senior AIKS leader.
According to Kolkata Police, CPI(M) activists shouting slogans against the state government tried to break the police cordon in the city and a scuffle broke out between protestors and police.
As the police failed to pacify the crowd, it resorted to the use of force to push them back.
There were, however, no arrests or injury during the agitation in the city.
In districts like Hoogly, Howrah, West Midnapore and North 24 Parganas several incidents of clashes were reported between police and the activists, reports said.
A civic volunteer was among several people who were injured when protesters clashed with the police in front of the Uluberia sub-divisional office at Howrah, the reports said.
The protesters allegedly threw stones at the police who retaliated with laticharge to disperse the gathering, it said.
At Barasat in North 24 Parganas a clash broke out between the protesters and police in which several people were injured, the reports said.
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