The Left parties and Congress on Friday staged protests in Telangana as part of the nation-wide agitation against contentious farm bills passed by the Parliament.The CPI and CPI-M, their affiliated organisations, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and other farmers' bodies held a protest in Hyderabad.Holding their respective party flags, dozens of activists participated in the protest held at Ayakaar Bhavan in the heart of the city.Raising slogans against the Centre and holding placards, the protestors including women sat in front of the Income Tax office. Terming the new farm legislations as 'anti-farmer' they demanded their immediate revocation.Senior Congress leader V. Hanumanth Rao also participated in the protest. He said the new laws will hit hard Indian farmers.The Congress party also organised protests across the state. Party leaders and workers participated in the sit-in at district and Assembly constituency headquarters.The party also held a candle-light rally last night at Ambedkar Statue near Tank Bund.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also staged a sit-in at Ambedkar Statue to protest against what it called draconian legislation.Ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is also opposing the new farm legislations but its protest was confined to the Parliament.Party leaders, however, Asaid TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is ready to lead a farmers' agitation at the national level.State Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the new legislation would badly affect the interests of farmers.He demanded the government should amend the law by inserting a clause to ensure that farmers get Minimum Support Price (MSP) whether they sell their produce in market yard or outside.The Congress leader said states which used to regulate prices and mandi fees will no longer be able to do so with the new enactments."These bills are going to cause the collapse of the system of selling farm produce in market yards. Because of the interference of the centre, the states have to lose their constitutional right of agricultural markets which is under the state list," he said