11.30 am: The protests against the Centre’s contentious agriculture laws intensified on Monday as farmers’ organisations and political parties continued their demonstrations.
While farmers called for a dawn-to-dusk shutdown in Karnataka, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu is holding a state-wide agitation, News18 reports. In Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is expected to join a sit-in demonstration in Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Some reports said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi may also join protestors in Punjab.
The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill were cleared by Parliament in September amid protests from the Opposition.
Critics say that these…