The Congress party, that had lent its support to Bharat Bandh on Tuesday, held multiple protests across the State including on the Vidhana Soudha premises.
Terming the controversial farm laws by both Union and State governments ‘anti-farmer’, Congress leaders participated in the Assembly session with a black band on their sleeves. While JD(S) supported the bandh call, it remained silent on Tuesday. Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said the bandh was a failure in the State as it did not garner widespread support.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah termed the farm laws ‘a death warrant for farmers’, and said both Union and State governments were “throwing farmers at the mercy of capitalists and big corporates.” He also came down heavily on the State government’s Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 2020, which was passed in the Legislative Council on Tuesday. “Anybody with big money will now be able to buy land, which will impact farmers,” he said.
KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar said the food market of the country is estimated to be around ₹25 lakh crore, on which the big corporates have an eye. “None of the farmer’s unions were consulted before the laws were passed, betraying the authoritarian streak of BJP,” he said.
Meanwhile, the CM accused the Opposition of misleading the farmers towards political ends. “Ours is a pro-farmer government and there is no way Prime Minister Narendra Modi can ever take a decision harmful to farmers. Opposition parties have been trying to mislead farmers,” he said. State Agriculture Minister B.C. Patil said that farmers in the villages had not supported the bandh call. Opposition leaders shot back at these allegations. “If the farm laws are really pro-farmer, why is the Modi government not able to convince farmers despite several long drawn meetings?” questioned Mr. Shivakumar.
