Farmers in the State, protesting against the three new Central farm laws and the amendments made to the Karnataka land reforms Act, observed a one-day fast on Martyrs’ Day on Saturday.
Farmers’ unions, under the banner of Samyukta Horata-Karnataka, held a protest and fast at Freedom Park and passed resolutions demanding the rollback of the controversial laws and condemning the “attacks on farmers” and attempts by the Union government to “suppress” the farmers’ movement in Delhi.
“The tractor rally on Republic Day mostly passed off peacefully. But there was some violence because of intruders into the movement, a conspiracy by the government. We demand an impartial inquiry into the violence,” they said in a statement.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and Congress leader Siddaramaiah visited the protest venue to express solidarity with the agitators. He came down heavily on the BJP for its “anti-farmer” policies. “The BJP has now brought in a law banning cattle slaughter altogether, in order to target a particular community. But it will hit farmers also badly. What should our farmers do with their male calves and old cattle? It is a burden on the farmers who are already fighting for survival,” he said.
