Aikya Horata, a coalition of farmers, Dalits and workers groups, has called upon farmers to “gherao Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa at sight”, to tell him of their opposition to the amendments to Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, and Karnataka APMC Act, 1966.
The “alternative people’s Assembly” passed a resolution on Saturday condemning the amendments as anti-farmer, anti-poor and pro-corporate. Seeing these amendments to agriculture related laws together with the dilution of labour laws in the name of creating a pro-business environment, it is clear that the state government has been implementing a slew of pro-corporate measures the union government has begun to implement, the resolution said.
Aikya Horata has also given a call to make Monday’s State Bandh successful to force the state government to withdraw these legislations. Meanwhile, Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, of Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha, not part of Aikya Horata, has also condemned assembly passing these bills and appealed to the people of the state to support the bandh call. Several other organisations, such as Samudaya Karnataka, supported farmers and workers struggles.
