Cong, NCP stage protest; demand higher support price for onion

Opposition Congress and NCP in Maharashtra today staged a protest near here demanding higher support price for onion.
Vehicular traffic on the busy Mumbai-Agra National Highway was affected for a couple of hours this morning when the Congress and NCP, led by Leader of Opposition in state Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad and other leaders, staged the 'rasta-roko' (obstruct the road) at Pimpalgaon Baswant, located about 30 kms from Nashik.
They were demanding Rs 2,000 per quintal support price for onions.
The support price for onions has reduced significantly at Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) to about Rs 500-700 per quintal, according to sources.

A large number of onion growers also participated in the agitation.
Addressing the gathering, Vikhe Patil and Awhad alleged that the BJP-led government at the Centre and in the state are anti-farmer.
According to rural control room at Nashik, the agitation passed off peacefully and later vehicular traffic movement on the highway normalised.