The response to the Karnataka bandh in Belagavi and Vijayapura districts was mixed.
In Belagavi, police arrested a group of protesters who wanted to lay siege to the Suvarna Soudha, the seat of the winter Assembly session. They included members of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Krishik Sene, women’s organisations, Kannada organisations and Dalit Sangharsha Samiti.
Earlier, police took into custody some youth who were trying to stop movement of NWKRTC buses. City police provided security escort to each bus that left the bus stand. KRRS leader Choonappa Pujari fell at the feet of NWKRTC officer Mahadevappa Munji begging him to stop the buses and express solidarity with farmers. But the buses continued to ply.
A young man who had alighted from a Bengaluru bus got into an argument with farmers’ leaders, saying they were fighting over a non-issue. He alleged that the protesters had not studied the amendments before taking to the streets. Mr. Pujari told him that the Union government was hatching a conspiracy to let corporates buy all farm lands and to make all farmers bonded labourers in their own fields.
Members of Bharatiya Kisan Sangha held a rasta roko at the Rani Channamma Circle. Leader Basavaraj Siddappa addressed the protesters and urged the Union and State governments to withdraw the farm laws, that he felt sounded the ‘death knell’ to farmers. He said that it was apt for the farmers to protest on the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh, who fought against tyranny and oppression. BKS members criticised BJP MP Earanna Kadadi for describing them as “farmers paid by vested interests to protest”.
Similar protests were held in Chikkodi, Athani, Khanapur, Bailhongal, Yamakanamaradi and other towns.
