By IANS,
Lucknow : Agitated over the sugarcane prices suggested by the government, hundreds of farmers took to the streets Monday, clashed with the police, damaged railway tracks, stopped trains, blocked highways and forced closure of shops in parts of western Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
Irate farmers removed fish plates and damaged railway tracks near Bawli railway station in Baghpat district, some 400 km from Lucknow, while those in Meerut and Saharanpur districts stopped trains and disrupted vehicular traffic along busy roads, they added added.
“Demonstrations near Bawli started early Monday. Hundreds of farmers sat on the railway tracks and even damaged these,” Baghpat Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar said over phone.
“Additional security personnel have been deployed in Baghpat after the protests,” Kumar added.
Protesters also stopped trains in Meerut, about 450 km from Lucknow, and disrupted traffic in Dauraula, Sardhana and Partapur towns.
“Farmers stopped several trains, including Shalimar Express, Delhi-Muzaffarnagar Express and Meerut-Delhi Passenger at Meerut,” said government railway police (GRP) inspector S.K. Rana.
Police had to baton charge the protesters at several places, including Baraut town in Baghpat and Shamli town in Muzaffarnagar districts in order to disperse them.
Demonstrators also pelted stones at the police, damaged their vehicles and targeted public properties in Baghpat and Muzaffarnagar districts.
“We resorted to force in order to control the situation,” Kumar said.
According to police, no one was seriously injured in the violence during the daylong protests in parts of western Uttar Pradesh.
The farmers were also assisted by Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) workers in blocking the Delhi-Saharanpur highway and disrupting traffic in districts such as Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr, Amroha and Saharanpur.
Police personnel worked for several hours to ensure normal vehicular traffic along the main highways, and reports reaching the state capital said that till 5:30 p.m., normal movement had resumed in several districts.
Demonstrators also forcibly closed markets at places, raised slogans denouncing the central government, and burnt effigies of union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
The central government has announced a price of Rs.129.85 per quintal for sugarcane during the 2009-10 crushing season under the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) system, while the State Advisory Price (SAP) has been set between Rs.165 and Rs.170 per quintal.
In case a state government fixes SAP higher than FRP, it will have to pay the difference.
Farmers want Rs.280 per quintal for their produce.
RLD chief Ajit Singh has already said opposition parties would not allow the government to pass the pending FRP Ordinance in parliament, and that his supporters will lay siege to Parliament House Nov 19, when the winter session is scheduled to start.