The bundh call of the APMC yard, in protest against the amendment to the APMC Act by the Government, was total here on Wednesday.

All the shops and business establishments in the APMC yard and Mandipete remained closed in support to the protest. While, farmers and traders staged a dharna.

Indefinite strike

The indefinite strike began from today and all the farmers, traders, coolies, labourers and the public have extended their support to the bundh. Office-bearers of the various associations, farmers organisations, the chamber of commerce and industry, etc have expressed their gratitude to all the supporters.

“If the farmers are facing trouble due to the amendments brought to the Act, then all of us express our support to the state-wide indefinite bundh call,” expressed Chairman of the Grocery Traders Association G H Paramashivaiah, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sunil Javali, Karnataka Regional Raitha Sangha Co-ordinator B Umesh, President of the State Raitha Sangha A Govindaraju, Devaraju, Rice Flour Owners Association President N R Vishwaradhya, Someshwar Gupta and Secretary of Shop Coolies Association Govindayya have informed.

MNC’s benefit

They have urged the Governor not to sign the amendments brought out by the State government to the APMC Act, which allows entry of multi-national companies into the retail marketing of agro-products.

The welfare of the farmers and the local traders should be safeguarded. And until their demands were met with, they would continue the protest, they added.

The protesters, including traders, farmers, representatives of the farmers associations and coolie labourers, strongly condemned the amendment measures at the APMC premises.