Bengaluru sees massive protest rally by farmers against farm bills

September 21, 2020

Hundreds of farmers, labourers and members of Dalit organisations Monday took part in a demonstration at Bengaluru’s Anand Rao Circle against the new farm Bills passed by the Centre and land legislations proposed by the Karnataka government.
The protesters then moved to Freedom Park, where a conference was held on these issues.
“Everyone in the agrarian community is against these legislations, including those proposed in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Karnataka land reforms amendment Act is not a land reform but a deform,” Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav said. He added that such protests would grow across the country in the days to come.
With several protesters from across the state marching in groups from railway stations to the protest sites, volunteers were seen reminding them to maintain social Distancing in view of the Covid-19 situation.
One such protester, a woman farmer from rural Karnataka, alleged that the government was trying to help private players exploit farmers.
“Now that they have plum posts, agriculture Minister B C Patil and the BJP government in Karnataka seem to have forgotten that farmers too need to survive. Those expected to represent the people are now trying to represent only the rich,” she said.

Chief minister Yediyurappa tried to reach out to Congress leader Siddaramiah and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy to see whether the Business Advisory Committee could agree to shorten the session.
However, till now the opposition has not agreed to cut short the session. CM Yediyurappa said he would want the opposition parties’ cooperation to shorten the session given the ongoing pandemic as nearly 55-60 MLAs are unable to attend the session.
KPCC president DK Shivakumar, speaking to the media on Monday, said that there were more than 78 bills that the government was trying to pass which required detailed discussion.
We want answers for the more than 1,600 questions we have submitted in both Houses. We want to highlight the corruption in the government while purchasing Covid care equipment. There is no question of us agreeing to shorten the session.
On the Karnataka cabinet expansion, CM Yediyurapa had said that he is awaiting directions from the party high command