Karnataka farmers call for bandh, protesters taken into custody

50 farmers associations and other supporting organisations in Karnataka are protesting against the controversial farmers' bills passed by the Centre and the state government last week. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Activists in Majestic taken into custody as they attempted to block the buses.

Bengaluru: Farmers and various other supporting organisations on Monday called for a statewide bandh in protests against the controversial farmers' bills passed by the Centre and the state government last week.

Farmers and various organisations began their protest across the state. They are protesting the amendments to the APMC and land reforms acts made by the BS Yediyurappa government.

Meanwhile, KaRaVe (Karnataka Rakshana Vedike) activists who were attempting to block buses in Bengaluru's Majestic area, were taken into custody.

Karnataka farmers have braced up for day-long shut down on Monday by thousands of farmers and others across the southern state in protest against the controversial farmers' bills passed by the Centre and the state government last week.

"We have tightened the security and deployed additional police personnel in cities and towns across the state and stepped up vigil to prevent untoward incidents during the shutdown," said a state home ministry official.

In an effort to prevent the shutdown, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa urged the farmers to withdraw the shutdown call, as it would disrupt normal life and cause inconvenience to thousands of people in COVID times.

"As the bandh (shutdown) is uncalled for, I appeal to farmers and others to withdraw their call and discuss their problems with us," said Yediyurappa.

The chief minister, however, said measures are being taken to ensure normal life is not affected and people are able to go to work by operating public services like buses and metro rail in the city.

The state legislative assembly on Saturday night passed the controversial bills to amend the APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee) Act and the Land Reforms Act amidst protest and walkout by the opposition Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) members.

The ryots and other organisations are also protesting against the farmers' bills passed in Parliament last week, as they are alleged to be against their interests and welfare.

Rejecting the chief minister's appeal, about 50 farmers' associations and other supporting organisations are protesting rallies and sit-in demonstrations against the state and central bills.

Though the chief minister explained to the farm leaders at a meeting here on Friday that the amendments to the APMC were to double their income by allowing them to sell their produce for the best price they get anywhere in the state or country, they refused to withdraw the shutdown call.

Terming the shutdown call illegal and against the Supreme Court orders, state revenue minister R. Ashok said the state government and private offices would be open and public transport services like buses, autos and taxis would operate to ensure commuting.

"Strict action will be taken against those forcing people to observe bandh or disrupting normal life. Police has been told to ensure peace and maintain law and order across the state," asserted Ashok.

Though the agitating organisations have exempted essential supplies and services from the dawn-to-dusk shutdown, private transport services like autos, taxis and buses are likely to stay away, as their unions are supporting the shutdown.

The state government, however, failed to get the bill to amend the labour laws passed through the legislative council on Saturday though it secured approval in the assembly on Friday where the ruling BJP has a majority.

"In the 75-member council, 14 members voted in favour of the Industrial Disputes and Certain Other Laws amendment bill, while 26 members of the Congress and the JD-S opposed it, causing embarrassment to the ruling BJP.