Congress and BKS intensify cotton MSP protest in Saurashtra

Demanding higher Minimum Support Price (MSP) for cotton and other commodities, Congress as well as the RSS-backed Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) today intensified their protests across the state, particularly in Gujarat's Saurashtra region.
More than 170 farmers associated with the BKS were detained by police at Savarkundla town of Amreli district for staging demonstrations against ministers at the Gujarat state government organised Ravi Krishi Mahotsav.
Similarly, around 40 Congress workers, led by their MLA from Una seat in Gir-Somnath district, Punja Vansh, were detained by the Una police as a precautionary measure to stop them from staging protests at the Mahotsav in Una town today.

Earlier, both the Congress and the BKS had announced a boycott of all Gujarat state government programmes, including Ravi Krishi Mahotsav, until the MSP for cotton was not increased from Rs 800 per 20 kg to atleast Rs 1,500.
As Gujarat Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramanlal Vora was preparing to inaugurate the Mahotsav at Marketing Yard premises of Savarkundla town today, more than 170 farmers, led by local BKS leaders, gathered outside the premises to stage demonstrations against him.
"As a precautionary measure, we detained 179 BKS farmers at around 11 am. Later, we released them at around 1 pm," Savarkundla Police Inspector S M Babi said.

Elsewhere in Una town of adjoining Gir-Somnath district today, around 45 Congress workers, including local Congress MLA Punja Vansh, were detained by the police to stop them from staging demonstrations against Minister of State for Agriculture Jasa Barad, who was scheduled to inaugurate the Mahotsav.
After being released at 1.30 pm, Vansh claimed that the BJP government is trying to suppress the voice of farmers and their representatives.