The activists of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) staged a protest in the city on Saturday opposing the decision by the State government to introduce changes to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act.
Addressing the gathering, K.T. Gangadhar, working president of KRRS, said that the decision to allow non-agriculturists to purchase farm land would pose a serious threat to the food security of the country.
Expressing ire that the decision was against the interests of the farmers, he said that the amendment to the law would pave way for purchase of large tracts of agricultural land by investors and conversion of such plots to non-agricultural purpose later. The small and marginal farmers who sell their land would later become unemployed, he said.
Mr. Gangadhar said that Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa who had taken part in several pro-land reform agitations in the early phase of his political career should not allow the dilution of the Act through this amendment.
Functionaries of KRRS Jayyappa Gowda, Yashwanth Rao Ghorpade, and D.V. Veeresh took part in the protest.
