Congress holds protest rally against Land Bill

New Delhi, March 16:

Hundreds of Congress workers, including women, were detained here on Monday as they broke barricades while marching towards parliament to protest the land acquisition bill.

Youth Congress workers led by MPs Anand Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Azad and other party leaders marched towards parliament raising slogans against the bill and the central government.

Police said the number of protesters was around 4,000 and as they reached Parliament Street — a few hundred meters away from parliament — the crowd turned aggressive and broke barricades put up by them.

Some of the protesters climbed atop the barricades and waved party flags. They also indulged in sloganeering.

Policemen in riot gear used water cannons and batons to force the crowd to retreat while some were detained as well.

“The BJP is anti-farmer and it stands exposed today… farmers and the Congress will win this fight,” said party leader Randeep Surjewala.

Azad said: “The BJP has been a party of capitalists. They are not at all concerned for the welfare of the farmers.”

Another party leader Sachin Pilot said: “The BJP is the same party that had proposed changes in the land acquisition bill but today they are opposing (the changes) them.”

The contentious land bill has sailed smoothly through the Lok Sabha due to the NDA’s majority, but the government is facing stiff resistance in the Rajya Sabha where it lacks the numbers, with the opposition determined to stall its passage.

(IANS)