Expressing dismay at important laws related to farmers and labourers being amended through Ordinance in Karnataka, former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda on Tuesday urged the State government to withdraw these Ordinances that are “anti-farmer and anti-labour”, and threatened to launch an agitation if the government did not withdraw them.
“The removal of important provisions of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, to enable purchase of land by non-farmers and amendment brought to the APMC Act will affect the farming community,” Mr. Gowda told presspersons here on Tuesday. He said that the changes to land reforms Act has been brought without providing information about the effects of such changes, and that these changes will help the land mafia in rural and urban pockets. He also criticised the government for amending the Factories Act, Industrial Disputes Act and Contract Labour (Abolition and Regulation) Act.
“I have already written to the Chief Minister thrice and despite this the Ordinances have been promulgated. The government should not bring such changes because it has majority,” he said.
