Hyderabad: Sikhs protest in solidarity with Bharat Bandh

Gowliguda: A day before Tuesday's Bharat bandh or the nation-wide strike called by farmers to protest against the three agricultural passed by Parliament, Sikh community of the twin cities expressed solidarity. Sikhs burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narender Modi. Around 2,000 Sikhs, including women and children, gathered in the Central Gurudwara Saheb here on Monday.

Sikh Sangat of Telangana from Hyderabad and Secunderabad protested in support the agitating farmers and demanded immediate withdrawal of the laws which it said was against the farming community.

"The farmers in many States have been on the roads for more than a week. They are determined to continue till the Centre takes back the controversial laws. In solidarity with farmers, the Sikh community has come on roads and staged a protest," said Sardar Darshan Singh, general secretary, Sikh Education Society Hyderabad.

During the protest, the Sikh community said it will not accept anything less than withdrawal of the three laws by the Centre. As more farmers, including women and children, are joining the agitation across the country, the government must not delay and repeal laws," Singh added.

"The new laws by the Centre have deeply upset the small and marginal farmers, as they allow sale of products anywhere in the country. Farmers will face problems by the phasing out of traditional mandis and the guaranteed minimum support price paid by the government, leaving them at the mercy of the corporates," he noted.