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Protest marches by farmers

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, NOV.9. Farmers held protest marches and demonstrations in various parts of Rajasthan today as an act of solidarity with those in Sriganganagar who have been agitating for their share of water for irrigation. They submitted a charter of demands to the Collectors in the districts.

The call to observe the protest day was given by the Communist Party of India(Marxist) and its farmers' body, the All India Kisan Sabha in the wake of the police firing on farmers in Ghadsana and Rawala in the district last week, which had resulted in four deaths.

The party has, however postponed the tomorrow's protest programme in the affected areas considering the festivals of Deepavali and Id. Earlier decision by the farmers and traders of the area was not to celebrate Deepavali this time. Now the protest programme would be resumed on November 16 if the demands--which include 5.23 cusecs of water allowance per 1,000 acres and prosecution of those responsible for firing--are not met by then.

Reports reaching from various parts said the day's protest programmes were peaceful though there were some tense moments in Sriganganagar town, where a large gathering of farmers had turned up to picket the Collectorate. The eve of the programme too had witnessed the police resorting to a crackdown making preventive arrests of farmers from the districts of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh.

There was heavy police deployment in Sriganganagar town and near the Collectorate as the farmers leaders, Hetram Beniwal, Bhuramal, Navrang and B.A.Raja addressed the gathering. The protest rally in Hanumangarh was addressed by among others, Sheopath Singh, vice president of the All India Kisan Sabha.

In Sikar, Jhunjhunnu, Nagaur and Jaipur also farmers and party workers held demonstrations which were addressed by the CPI(M)'s State secretary, Vasudev, the party MLA, Amra Ram and other leaders.

Many of those arrested during the agitation last week have been released though the reports reaching from the districts indicated fresh arrests.

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