Farm Bills Protest: Farmers call for Karnataka Bandh on Monday

Several farmers' organisations across Karnataka will hold a state-wide bandh on Monday (September 28) as a sign of protest against the passage of the Centre’s ‘contentious’ Farm Bills in Parliament and the state’s Land Reforms Amendment Act which was tabled in the Assembly. The organisation is also opposing the amended Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) and Labour Acts. The farmers' group has said that they will block national highways in the state during bandh by staging rallies.  

However, Karnataka Deputy CM Laxman Savadi released a statement that there will be no disruption in transport services and govt buses will run as usual in Karnataka tomorrow. The police have been requested to provide additional security in view of the bandh called against recently passed farm bill tomorrow. 

Earlier, a delegation of farmers met chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday. The talks failed between the state government and the representatives. The



delegation decided that they would go ahead with their proposed statewide bandh on Monday. 

The group said that the chief minister refused to withdraw the bills. They also accused the state government of “trying to preach, rather than listen” to their grievances.

On the same day, the state witnessed huge protests with traffic being blocked in some parts as farmers' organisation continued their agitation. The farmers are opposing the easing of norms which will allow non-agriculturalists of any income group to purchase agricultural lands and retrospectively decriminalise those who bought farmlands illegally till now.

President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent for the three bills passed by the Parliament. The three bills are Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.