Farm laws: Farmers plan massive rally in Bengaluru on March 22

Farmers from across the state will descend on Bengaluru to participate in a mega convention at Freedom Park on Monday to register their protest against the state and the Centre’s anti-farmer and anti-labour laws.

The prominent faces of Delhi’s farmer protests Dr Darshan Pal, medical surgeon-turned farmer activist, Rakesh Singh Tikait of Bharatiya Kisan Union and Yuddhveer Singh will take part in the rally.

Apart from Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Hasiru Sene and Aaikya Horata Samithi, various farmer and labour rights organisations will take part in the convention.

Farmers leaders, including representatives of farmers from northern India, held a Mahapanchayat in Shivamogga on Sunday to discuss the agrarian crisis and the ways to stonewall the ‘draconian’ farm laws.

Dr Darshan Pal, who heads the Samykuta Kisan Morcha (SKM), told DH that more mass meetings will be held in the southern states with the second Mahapanchayat in Karnataka set to take place on March 31. “We will have another meeting with the farmers of Karnataka, after which we plan to have a massive Mahapanchayat by the end of April in Bengaluru,” he added.

Dr Pal reminisced his decades-long association with Karnataka farmer leader the late M D Nanjundaswamy and said the agrarian crisis in Karnataka was not too different from other states.

“Reports of suicide and indebtedness is high in Karnataka too, which means there in an agrarian crisis. The government should address this issue by infusing capital and bringing in reforms that benefit the farmers,” he
said.

On the limited response from the southern states to farmers’ agitation in Delhi, he said “The farmers’ way of protests may seem different but they are equally fighting for the cause.”

Speaking about the Karnataka government’s laws, he said they will ultimately lead to unemployment, poverty, increase in caste and gender differentiation.

To a question, Dr Pal spoke said agriculture was always close to his heart and he worked in the farm as well while studying MBBS. “In 2007, I lost two of my family members who were actively involved in agriculture, after which I decided to switch to farming,” he said.

The mass conventions are planned to culminate in the nationwide bandh called on March 26.

Traffic to be hit

The farmers are expected to start the march at 11 am from Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna railway station to Freedom Park. Traffic in areas surrounding Majestic, Sheshadri Road and the Nrupatunga Road is likely to be affected.