Kisan Congress workers hold demo in B'luru against inking RCEP

Workers of the Karnataka Kisan Congress staged a demonstration at the Cantonment RailwayStation here protesting the Regional ComprehensiveEconomic Partnership (RCEP).

Led by the state Congress working president Eshwar Khandre and Karnataka Kisan Congress chief Sachin Miga, they took out a rally from the Congress office to the Cantonment Railway station.

Holding placards against the Centre's government'seconomic policies and RCEP, the workers raised slogans againstthe Bharatiya Janata Party.

Police thwarted their attempt to stage a sit-in at the railway station and stop trains.

Later addressing the protestors, Khandre said the UPA government had waived farm loans worth Rs 75,000 crorewhereas the BJP floated a scheme providing a meagre sum of Rs6,000 annually to the farmers annually.

"Through this RCEP, the BJP government at the Centre isdirectly targeting the farmers. The government is out todestroy the country's economy completely.

It is time for thefarmers to ponder what is happening to them," Khandre said.

The State Congress on Sunday had warned the Centre against signing the Regional Comprehensive EconomicPartnership (RCEP) - free trade agreement, without holdingwider consultations.

The RCEP - a mega free trade agreement - was beingnegotiated among 10 ASEAN countries with their six FTApartners (India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and NewZealand).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the pact should be mutually beneficial for all parties.