Farmers Movement Archive

Several organisations announce participation in bandh

Several organisations have announced that they will join Monday’s State bandh in Belagavi and Vijayapura districts. This will be as effective as it was during the lockdown, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike district unit president Deepak Gudanatti told journalists in Belagavi on Sunday. He announced that several organisations were supporting the bandh on Monday. “Kannada organisations, Dalit organisations, farmers organisations and youth organisations are supporting the bandh,” he added. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha leader Jayashree Gurannanavar said that the three national bills and the land reforms amendment bill of the State had the potential to destroy millions of farmers. “They can reduce land-owning farmers to landless workers, bonded labour and indebted workers whose children and grandchildren would have to work for decades to repay loans,” she said. Choonappa Pujari and others were present. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha members in Vijayapura said that they would participate in the bandh in protest against the farm bills. Belagavi Superintendent of Police Lakshman Nimbaragi gave a stern warning to protesters urging them not to damage public property in the name of the bandh. In a video message released here on Sunday, he said that no law and order disturbance would be allowed on Monday . “Farmers and others who are participating in the bandh should not block roads nor cause damage to property. If they do, they will be seriously dealt with as per law,” he said. “They should observe social distancing and other COVID-19 safety protocol. If they violate these, action will be taken against them under the Disaster Management Act. Action will also be taken against those who force merchants to close shops,” he said. Protesters should peacefully assemble at Tahsildar offices, submit memorandum copies and disperse, the Superintendent of Police said. He warned that the district had 4,000 CCTV cameras installed in strategic locations and important points in the district. “We will also use drones. Their footage will be studied for signs of disturbance,” he said. Rajya Sabha member and BJP Krishi Morcha leader Eeranna Kadadi said that the bandh was organised by vested interests and not genuine farmers groups. “The Congress is organising the protests with political motives. I urge the farmers not to fall into the trap laid by the Congress,” he added. He said that farm land and farm produce would fetch better prices if the farm Acts were implemented. NWKRTC officers said that buses would operated as usual across North Karnataka.

The Hindu

2020-09-28

Belagavi,KARNATAKA