Jammu: Congress workers clashed with police on Friday when they were stopped from marching to the Raj Bhawan here as part of a protest called in support of farmers agitating against the Centre’s new farm laws.
Police baton-charged the marchers and briefly detained some of them, an officer said.
Led by Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Gulam Ahmed Mir, a large number of party workers assembled at the party headquarters at Shahedi Chowk here and began their march to the Raj Bhawan.
A clash ensued as the police tried to stop them from marching to the Raj Bhawan.
The Congress observed the day as ‘Kisan Adhikar Diwas’ in support of the rights of farmers who have been protesting against the Centre’s three farm laws. The party is also protesting against hike in fuel prices.
The Congress had planned to take out protest marches in all state capitals in the country and ‘gherao’ (picket) Raj Bhawans.
Addressing the gathering in Jammu, Mir lashed out at the Narendra Modi government and accused it of adopting an “adamant attitude”.
“Around 60 farmers have lost their lives during the agitation that began in November last year, but the government is trying to tire out the farmers and not concede to their demand for repeal of the laws,” he said.
He said the Congress fully backs the agitation of farmers.
Mir also criticised the government over the hike in prices of petrol and diesel. He demanded that the government roll back the “unreasonable” hike in fuel prices.
