Bharat Bandh: RJD, Congress workers block highways, rail in Bihar

Highways, roads and railway tracks were blocked in several places across Bihar on Monday as Bharat Bandh evoked a mixed response in the state.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress workers blocked roads in Patna, Bhojpur, Lakhisarai, Jahanabad, East Champaran, Begusarai, Madhepura and Nalanda districts, affecting the movement of the traffic.

In Patna, RJD workers blocked the road near Buddha Smriti Park, burning tyres in protest against the three farm laws.

Read: Bengaluru North DCP injures leg after SUV runs over him during Bharat Bandh

However, they were swiftly removed, a police officer said.

RJD and CPI members also blocked railway lines in Patna, Ara, Jahanabad and Madhepura.

"Adequate security personnel have been deployed at railway stations and other sensitive places in the state to check any untoward incident," an official said.

Markets were open, while government and private offices registered usual attendance.

Public transport also remained largely unaffected.

However, most of the private schools in the state remained shut due to the 10-hour bandh called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha.

No untoward incident was reported, a senior police officer said.

The three laws -- The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- were passed by Parliament in September last year.

Farmer groups have alleged that these laws will end the 'mandi' and the MSP procurement systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates. The government has rejected these apprehensions as misplaced and asserted that these steps will help increase farmer income.

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