Karnataka farmers called for a statewide bandh tomorrow (File)
Bengaluru:
Karnataka farmer groups called on Monday for a statewide bandh to protest five controversial agricultural-related laws – three passed by parliament last week (and signed today by President Ram Nath Kovind ) and two adopted by the State Assembly on Saturday.
Both passed by the Assembly are amendments to existing laws that facilitate the purchase of agricultural land in the state. Congress, the main opposition in Karnataka, said the amendments reflected the BJP government’s goal of keeping farmers as “slaves.”
Farm bills (now laws) passed by parliament will make it easier for farmers to sell their produce at markets and prices they choose, the center and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have repeatedly said. Critics fear, however, the loss of a minimum price support system and the fact that the entry of businesses and private actors will endanger small and marginal farmers.
Protests against the center’s laws raged across the country this week, including in Karnataka, where a group of farmers met with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa but failed to come to an agreement.
Tomorrow’s bandh was backed by Congress, whose spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted: “(The) Modi and Yediyurappa governments are devastating the lives and livelihoods of our farmers. The evil amendments to the Law on land reforms and the APMC law are proof of this (a) conspiracy to enslave our farmers “.
To this, the Karnataka wing of the ruling BJP retaliated with its own tweet.
“For decades (the) shortsighted politicians of Congress have enslaved our farmers, taking away their lives and their livelihoods. Prime Minister Narendra Modi (and the central government) freed them and put them on the path to prosperity. The CONgress, friend of intermediaries, supports the bandh to prove its existence, “the party tweeted.
For decades short-sighted policies @INCIndia enslaved our farmers by taking away their lives and their livelihoods.
PM @Narendra Modi The government freed them and put them on the path to prosperity.
The friendly CONgress of intermediaries supports Bandh to prove its existence.#CONgressAgainstFarmershttps://t.co/Hz1Oz8olkc
– BJP Karnataka (@ BJP4Karnataka) September 27, 2020
The state government is keen to ensure that the bandh does not succeed and tries to ensure a relatively normal Monday.
Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who also holds the transport portfolio, said there would be no disruption to state-run transport services, including the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation, for which the police were asked to provide additional security.
“It is unfortunate that some are against pro-farmer bills. The government of Karnataka is committed to ensuring the well-being of our farmers. Those who oppose this bill have called for bandh but for action disturbing and causing damage to public property, if any, will be dealt with strictly, ”he said.
On Saturday, an upset Congress tore up papers and walked out of the assembly to protest amendments to the state land acquisition law.
Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar told GalacticGaming his party strongly opposed the amendments and attacked the BJP, which he said wanted to keep farmers as “slaves”.
In an earlier response to farmers’ protests, the chief minister said they may have been “misinformed” about amendments to state laws and reiterated that “only two percent of the land can be used for industrial purposes “.
