Several Congress leaders, including party legislators from Haryana, were detained at Panipat on Wednesday after a clash with the police during a tractor rally heading towards Delhi against the farm Bills. The Panipat police used water cannons to disperse the protesters when they tried to break the barricades and move ahead.
Several trade unions also took out a march in protest against the farm and labour Bills at Gurugram and submitted a memorandum to the local administration to be sent to President Ram Nath Kovind.
All-India Congress Committee joint secretary and national in-charge of Indian Youth Congress Krishna Allavaru and IYC national president B.V. Srinivas were among those detained, besides Samalkha MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker and Israna MLA Balbir Singh.
Mr. Chhoker told the The Hindu over phone that the protest rally was peaceful but the police tried to stop them near Samalkha around 2 p.m. and used water cannons and mild lathicharge to disperse them. He claimed hundreds of tractors were part of the rally organised by the IYC.
Samalkha police station SHO Inspector Harvinder Singh said around 30 people were detained and later let-off. He denied allegations of baton charge and said that only water cannon was used on the protesters.
Leading the protest of the trade unions in the Millennium City, Centre of Indian Trade Unions Haryana vice-president Satvir Singh said they held demonstrations against the farm Bills across the State. He said the trade unions will also extend support to the nationwide bandh on September 25.
