Cadres of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday laid siege to a State Bank of India branch in Rajapalayam as a mark of protest against the "highhandedness of the Centre" in handling of farmers protesting against the farm laws in Delhi.
The protest was led by the party district secretary, K. Arjunan. Party leaders Suganthi and B. Mariappan were among the participants.
Mr. Arjunan said that the CPI (M) has been vehemently opposing the amendments to the Farm Acts ever since it was introduced, both inside and outside the Parliament.
“Besides protesting across the country, we also conduct signature campaign against them,” he added.
Apart from the amendment to the Farm Acts, the Electricity (Amendment) Bill was also against the farmers and common man. “The Electricity (Amendment) Bill will hit the farmers, weavers and the poor, especially in a State like Tamil Nadu where subsidy has been given to different sectors in different scale,” he added.
“The farmers will have to give up the free power that is being given to them,” Mr. Arjunan contended, adding that Tamil Nadu was giving free power to weavers and huts.
The party cadres raised slogans against the Centre for having adopted different regressive measures like use of water canon and tear gas on the farmers and creating road blockades.