The Bharat Bandh call given by farmers demanding the repeal of three farm laws evoked a mixed response in Ballari district on Monday.
Shops, trading units at APMC Yard and other commercial establishments in Siruguppa, Sandur and other towns remained closed for most of the time in the day. Public transport system was disrupted in Siruguppa. Government offices, educational institutions, petrol pumps and other establishments functioned as usual in most of the towns and cities across the district.
Activists belonging to different organisations, including Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Tungabhadra Raitha Sangha, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and District Construction Workers Union, began protests at Gadagi Chennappa Circle in Ballari city. They raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and burnt copies of the farm laws to register their opposition.
Some of the activists made attempts in vain to disrupt public transport operations in the city. The buses, however, operated as usual avoiding the protest sites. Shops and commercial establishments at important marketplaces such as Bengaluru Road, Jain Market Road and Brahmin Road downed their shutters for a few hours in the morning. Hawkers, roadside and petty shops vendors did their business as usual.
U. Basavaraj, K. Somashekhar, G.S. Mohammad Rafeek and other leaders, in their address at the protest site, criticised the Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their reluctance to repeal the farm laws.
