Farmers protest arrest of leaders

Sikar/Jaipur: Farmers in Rajasthan today held protests across Jaipur and Sikar against the arrest of their leaders Amra Ram and Pema Ram.

The agitation comes a day before the ‘Mahapadav’ protest called by the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS). It would be held outside the Rajasthan Assembly tomorrow.

Markets remained closed in Sikar as traders supported the shut down call of the AIKS. However, essential services remained unaffected.

They also brunt an effigy of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. Elaborate security measures were put in place by the administration to thwart any untoward incidents.

In Jaipur, CPI(M) leaders gave a memorandum to the chief minister against the arrest of farmer leaders, alleging that the government was suppressing the voice of farmers and was not implementing the last year agreement on loan waivers.

They demanded the release of the leaders Amra and Pema, who are also former MLAs, and that their cases be revoked.

The Mahapadav has been called called to protest against the arrests and the loan waiver issue, joint secretary, AIKS, Sanjay Madhav said.