To thwart attempts to enforce a ‘Bharat bandh’ on Tuesday by the Opposition parties and more than a dozen outfits of farmers, the Gujarat government is set to impose Section 144 of CrPC.
The strike call issued by farmers shall not be successful in Gujarat, asserted Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. He said the police would not allow any Opposition party or any outfit to do any politics in the name of farmers.
The police would take stern action against those who try to block highways or enforce a bandh in any part of the State. “Also, photography or videography of any unrest and its circulation on social media platforms will attract FIR,” said DGP Ashish Bhatia.
The police would not allow any member of any outfit to disturb normal public life anywhere across the State, Mr. Bhatia told mediapersons.
The government has deployed additional police in various districts in order to main normal public order.
So far, besides the main Opposition party, the Congress, several NGOs and civil society groups and as many as 17 outfits representing farmers and agriculture workers have supported the ‘Bharat bandh’ call.
Also joining to support the bandh are over 50 agriculture produce marketing committees (APMCs) in Saurashtra who have supported the farmers’ national agitation against the new laws which seek to end monopoly of APMCs in procurement of agriculture products from farmers.
