KATHMANDU: During CK Raut led Janamat party’s solidarity protest in the ongoing ‘farmers movement’ across several districts of Terai, the police have arrested many people including Janamat Party’s Vice Chair Er. Basanta Kushbaha from Rautahat on Friday.

Earlier, half a dozen women farmers were injured from police beatings in course of nationwide Farmers Movement, in Saptari, Thursday.

A ‘Farmers Movement’ is ongoing across several Terai districts putting forth a charter of demands to address the plights of farmers across the country. Farmers are staging demonstrations in Bardia, Banke, Kapilvastu, Rupandehi, Nawalparasi, Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha, Saptari, Sunsari and Morang districts to draw attention of authorities.

Security forces intervened in farmers’ movement in several districts and arrested nine farmers in Banke and six in Saptari in the past one week since the movement started. Clashes have occurred in Saptari and Banke districts as well.

CK Raut led Janamat Party, expressing solidarity with the movement, called an indefinite strike on East-West Highway in Tarai districts during day time from Thursday.

 

Farmers have also padlocked the office of Kamala Municipality in Dhanusha. However, the movement of farmers is being greeted with resistance from the authorities.

Farmers in Tarai districts have taken to streets demanding formation of a high level committee to address their issues, timely arrangement of compost and seeds for them, ensuring irrigation systems, determination of fair support price of crops, issued identity cards ‘Kisan cards’ to them, among other demands.