Jamshedpur: SCCI and Vyapar Mandal join hands, burn effigy of Agriculture Minister

Raise slogans against two percent fee imposed on agriculture produce

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Feb 11: Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) joined hands with Vyapar Mandal and on Saturday, February 11 took out a protest march from the SCCI Building to the Bistupur N Road Chhaganlal Chowk where the effigy of Jharkhand Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh was burnt. The protest was against the two percent fee imposed on agriculture produce and the Mandi.

SCCI Secretary Anil Modi stated, “Traders throughout the state are agitating against the two percent fee imposed on the Agricultural Produce Market Committee by the Jharkhand government. As part of this movement, hundreds of businessmen today gathered at the SCCI building to give vent o our protest.”

The members of SCCI and Vyapar Mandal took out a rally shouting slogans against the state government’s decision to impose the two percent levy on agriculture produce and Agriculture Produce Market (Mandi). The protesters shouted slogans like, “Withdraw the law for increasing corruption,”  “Withdraw the law increasing inflation,” “Stop playing with the future of traders,” “Withdraw the anti-people black law,” and others.

 President Vijay Anand Moonka said, “The SCCI and Vyapar Mandal have appealed to the food traders of Jamshedpur to participate in this effigy burning program in large numbers so that the voice of this protest could be raised till the Jharkhand government’s doorstep. The success of this protest is reflected on the mirror of reality. The effigy burning of the Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh was conducted in all districts of the state. Until this black law is withdrawn by the government, the protest will continue under the leadership of SCCI.”

SCCI Vice President, Nitesh Dhoot said that the participants in the protest rally organized today, had given a message to the government that they were completely united and would continue their agitation against the government’s unwarranted directive of two percent  against this anti-people market fee.

‘Future Phases of the Movement’

SCCI Secretary Anil Modi informed that in the next phase of the agitation against this anti-people promulgation of two percent hike on agricultural produce, a memorandum would be submitted by the traders to the local public representatives. Anil averred, “On February 15, the food traders (wholesale and retail) of Jamshedpur will observe a one day protest and all shops will remain shut. Public awareness campaign will be launched in all markets of the city and we traders will appeal to make this Bandh successful. In the next phase of the movement, from February 15, the inward and outward movement of food grains will be stopped for an indefinite period. On the call of Jharkhand Federation and Singhbhum Chamber, all the traders are determined to make this movement successful.”