Farmers Movement Archive

Will revive Devaraj Urs’s land reforms if voted to power, say Cong leaders

Mandya: Congress on Saturday said it will restore the land reforms introduced by late Devaraj Urs when it returns to power both at the Centre and state. Addressing Raitha Dhwani, a farmers’ rally organised by the party in Mandya, opposition leader Siddaramaiah said the Yediyurappa government is anti-farmer as it has amended the APMC and land reforms Acts yielding to the corporate lobby. “Congress abolished the Jahgirdar and Imam systems, introduced new laws to protect tenants and made the tiller the land owner. But BJP is snatching land from farmers and undermining the principle of cooperative federalism,” alleged Siddaramaiah, who reminded people that JD(S) had refused to join hands with Congress to oppose the land bill in the assembly. Alleging corruption in the BJP government, Siddaramaiah said Yediyurappa had accepted ‘funds’ through cheque when he was CM for the first time, but his family members are more advanced and have started accepting bribe through RTGS. Congress spokesperson and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala said the party will become a voice of the farming community and farmers’ resistance against the draconian farm bills. He accused the NDA government of conspiring to dilute the pro-farmer Land Acquisition Act-2013, which was legislated by then UPA government. KPCC president DK Shivakumar said Congress had always framed laws keeping farmers’ concerns in mind. “Yediyurappa took oath flaunting a green shawl pledging to protect farmers. But farmers continue to be distressed. The government is paving the way for large corporates to buy farm land. I am proud to say that our legislators have returned the anti-farmers bill in the upper house.”

The Times of India

2020-10-11

Mysuru