Congress to hold protest against Land Bill on March 23

CHENNAI: Congress today said it will hold statewide protest demonstrations on March 23 opposing the Land Bill and to urge the Centre to take it back as it "usurped the rights" of farmers.

"The protest demonstration will be held in 31 districts including Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Salem and Sivaganga," TNCC chief Elangovan said here.

The TNCC chief said he would lead the protest in the city while former Union Minister P Chidambaram would preside over the agitation in Sivaganga.

Former Union Ministers Mani Shankar Aiyar and E M Sudarsana Natchiappan would lead the protests at Thanjavur and Dindigul respectively.

Condemning the Land Bill as "black law", he alleged it took away the rights of farmers.

"The AIADMK has displayed its anti-farmers' attitude by supporting it (in Lok Sabha). The protests will condem the anti-people attitude of both the State and Central governments," he said.