Protests against lathicharge on farmers

Members of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Hasiru Sene, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and other organisations staged a dharna here on Monday condemning police action against the farmers here on Monday.

Terming lathi charge as brutality against protesters who were protesting in a peaceful manner, they alleged that the BJP government in the State has been tormenting farmers and should step down immediately.

The government harassing the farmers who provide food to the nation has no authority to continue in power and Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa should tender his resignation for adopting anti-farmer policies, they demanded.

Chamarajnagar district in-charge minister Halappa and Home Minister Halappa should be dismissed from the Cabinet. The Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police in both the districts should be retired from service compulsorily. The cases registered against farmers should be withdrawn, they sought.

Human chain formed

The JD(S) activists staged a rasta roko and burnt the effigy of Chief Minister  Yeddyurappa In Kolar new bus stand. The human chain formed by the activists affected the  vehicular movement.

The police atrocities on farmers of the two districts, who were holding a peaceful rally demanding the fulfilment of their various demands, is highly objectionable. This incident truly reflects the anti-farmers’ policy of the current BJP government. If the arrested farmers’ leaders are not related immediately then we will launch a severe protest, cautioned the JD(S) activists.

Traffic came to standstill and scores of road users were put into trouble as vehicles piled up on the road.  The traffic lock went for an hour. The protesters later submited a a memorandum was later submitted at the office of the Deputy Commissioner.

Human rights

Addressing a similar protest in Gauribidanur, Taluk General Secretary of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, M R Lakshminarayana said that farmers were fired at a few days after Yeddyurappa took oath as Chief Minister in the name of farmers.

The recent incident of lathi charge on farmers demonstrates Yeddyurappa’s concern for the farmers, he chided. Lakshminarayana demanded that the government should conduct an inquiry into police atrocity on farmers and initiate legal action against the persons found guilty.

He also sought that the case be referred to Human Rights Commission. The government should take disciplinary action against officers who do not respond to the farmers’ woes, he sought.

Alleging that the taluk administration has failed in checking illegal sand mining in the taluk, Lakshminarayan expressed concern over depleting water level in the taluk. Taluk Panchayat member Namagondlu Ashwathanarayanappa, Town Panchayat member Anantharaj and others took part in the protest.