Farmers stage protest in Raipur in support of demands

Farmers today took out a march towards the residence of the Chhattisgarh Governor in support of their various demands and tried to gherao the premises.
Police, however, foiled their plan to lay siege to the governor's residence.
At least 41 farmers were taken into custody during the protest but were later released unconditionally, police said.
Around 500 farmers from 125 villages under the banner of Chhattisgarh Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh took part in the agitation, Mahasangh's convener member Sanket Thakur said.
The agitators later tried to meet the governor to put forward their demands, but they were stopped by the police from going ahead, he added.

"Farmers have been holding protests at several places of the state since the past two months but so far nobody from the state government has paid heed to their demands," Thakur said.

Farmers are disappointed with both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress for not discussing their issues in the just concluded session of the assembly, he said.
Their demands included MSP of Rs 2,100 per quintal for paddy and Rs 300 bonus and farm loan waiver, among others, Thakur said.
Some of the agitating farmers removed their shirts and sat on the road shouting slogans.
As many as 41 of them were taken into custody and later released unconditionally, said Raipur Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Shukla said.