Farmer associations call for Karnataka bandh on March 26

Leading a massive protest rally of farmers against the state government on Monday in Bengaluru, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait called on the agrarian community to get their produce to Vidhana Soudha for selling.

Appealing to the farmers to scale up their protests, Tikait said that if Karnataka farmers were unable to come to New Delhi, a new Kisan Morcha could be launched in Bengaluru itself.

Addressing the protesting farmers at the Raitha Mahapanchayat at Freedom Park, Tikait said, “If any police personnel stops you while carrying your agriculture produce, tell them that as per the new amendment you can sell the commodities anywhere not necessarily in APMC only. If they still refuse to listen to it, then sell it on the spot or otherwise convert police stations into markets.”

Hitting out at the Centre against its politics in the name of religion, Tikait lashed out, “Today, political cards are played in the name of Rama. But all of us have to march further by shouting slogans--Jai Ram-Jai Bheem and Allah-Hu-Akbar -Har Har Mahadev.’

Voluntary bandh

Various farmer associations came together to issue a call for voluntary bandh on March 26, to support the bandh call given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha protesting in Delhi.

Farmers leaders from the state held an open meeting with Dr Darshan Pal of Samyukta Kisan Morcha, Bharatiya Kisan Union’s Rakesh Singh Tikait and Yuddhveer Singh on Monday.

“A declaration was made in the presence of the Delhi leaders that farmers from Karnataka will take part in the bandh, which will be voluntary in nature. We ask for the support of all the people,” a coordinator of the meet told DH.

Traffic comes to halt

Traffic movement in and around the central business district (CBD) came to a grinding halt with hundreds of farmers hitting the street to protest against the state and Central government. Farmers began a protest march from city railway station to Vidhana Soudha. With the police prevented them from marching towards Vidhana Soudha, the adjoining areas were choked with traffic for more than two hours.