Farmers and farmer outfits across Karnataka have called for a statewide bandh on Monday to protest the farm bills introduced by the Centre and the state government’s land reform ordinances.
The bandh is expected to affect the traffic on the national and state highways. Restaurant, taxi and auto associations in Bengaluru have expressed solidarity with the farmers. Restaurants in the city will remain shut and cabs and autos won't ply on Monday.
The Land Reforms Amendment Act was tabled in the state assembly on September 22. There have already been widespread protests in the city over the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation and Development) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, the Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill and the Union governments farm bills. Farmer groups say these are “anti-farmer and anti-labor legislations.’’
Farmers are worried that the new laws will allow non-agriculturalists to own agricultural land which in turn will legitimise illegal purchases of farmlands made in the past. The laws propose to increase the cap on how much land a person can own. Farmers outfits point out that this could result in hoarding of land.
Farmers will also stage a protest at the Mysore Bank Circle in Bengaluru this Friday.
Meanwhile, farmers groups, including All India Farmers Union (AIFU), Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) and All India Kisan Mahasangh (AIKM) have called for a nationwide bandh on September 25.
