Raipur: Congress workers on Friday blocked national and state highways in several places in Chhattisgarh as part of its a day-long economic blockade demanding a hike in support price and bonus to farmers on procuring paddy as per BJP's promise in its manifesto before assembly polls.
"BJP government had failed to fulfil its poll promises and is trying to pass the buck on the Centre just by writing a letter seeking to increase minimum support price of paddy," Pradesh Congress Committee chief Bhupesh Baghel told reporters.
Their demand includes Rs 2,100 quintal support price to farmers for their paddy, besides Rs 300 quintal bonus to them, as per BJP's assurance, he said, adding reducing power tariff was also promised.
The impact of the protest was witnessed in major cities including Raipur, Durg-Bhilai, Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur, Jagdalpur, Raigarh and other districts of the state, where long queues of trucks witness on prominent roads.
A senior police official said that large of Congress workers were taken into custody at different places.
State Congress president Bhupesh Baghel and leader of the opposition in the assembly T S Singhdeo, who participated in the agitation near Tatibandh in the state capital, were taken into custody by the police near Lalpur, he said.
However, they were released later in the evening, he said. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh criticised the Congress for the economic blockade, saying that the agitation had caused immense difficulties to farmers.
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