Hundreds of protesting farmers who took out a rally in Patna on Tuesday against the controversial farm laws were lathi-charged by police and prevented from reaching Raj Bhavan, reported The Hindu.

The farmers had assembled at Gandhi Maidan in the capital from several districts under the banners of the Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Mahasabha and Kisan Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti. Left parties were also backing the farmers. They then marched to the Raj Bhavan to submit a memorandum to the Governor against the farm laws.

But the marching farmers were stopped by the police midway near Dak Bungalow in the city. When the protesting farmers sat on the road and blocked traffic and raised slogans against the farm laws, a tussle broke out between the farmers and police, who later resorted lathi charge and water cannons to disperse them.

Over half-a-dozen farmers reportedly suffered minor injuries when police lathi-charged them. A major section of these farmers were sharecroppers, according to media reports.

Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Mahasabha’s state secretary Ramadhar Singh said that Bihar farmers are in complete solidarity with farmers protesting along the Delhi-Haryana borders. ‘We won’t rollback of all the three farm laws. Bihar government abolished the mandis in 2006 but did not provide any alternative system. Most farmers have to sell their paddy much below MSP,’ Singh alleged, reported The Indian Express.

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