Protest by Like-Minded Organizations against Union Government’s Three Farm Reform Bills, in City
Mangaluru: The Karnataka Bandh call given by like-minded organizations did not receive full support, however, a protest was staged in front of the Mini Vidhana Soudha this morning, Monday, 28 September backed by Farmer Unions; DYFI; CITU; Youth, Women and Labour organizations; Dalit organisations, also supported by Congress, CPI(M), and JD(S) parties, among others, was strictly supervised by the police, keeping a close watch on the protesters to avoid any untoward incidents. The police have been keeping a close vigil on the developments.
The Karnataka bandh call given by various organisations to protest against some changes recently made by the central and state government relating to agriculturists which they have termed as harmful for the interests of the farmers continued to get a disappointing response in the district. The protesters raised slogans against the central and state governments and condemned the Farm Bills as being ‘Anti-Farmer’ and supporting BIGWIGS of mega corporates. As many as 31 farmers’ organisations are fighting collectively against these three Bills, and the first agenda on their common programme was the ‘Punjab Bandh’, held on 25 September. It is learnt that Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have been protesting against three ordinances promulgated by the Centre on June 5, the ordinances were replaced by three Bills, passed in the monsoon session of Parliament.
The Protest was against the three farm reform bills — The Farmers’ Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill — passed by the Parliament in the recently concluded Monsoon session. While farmers are protesting against all three bills, their objections are mostly against the provisions of the first. And while there is no uniform demand among the protesters or a unified leadership, it emerges that their concerns are mainly about sections relating to “trade area”, “trader”, “dispute resolution” and “market fee” in the first bill.
Krishnappa Salian, leader of the District Farmers Association said, “It’s a shame to note that the Central government is becoming a puppet at the hands of the investors in implementing this anti-farmer bill. The union government without prior discussions had passed three farm bills, which has severely affected the farmers. We condemn the Modi led government for snatching away the rights of farmers. The Modi government has turned a blind eye towards the poor farmers. This Agricultural Bill will only protect the investors and multinational companies, and no one else. The Act will make the farmers quit agriculture. It should be noted that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had taken oath in the name of farmers by wearing the green shawl, unfortunately now the government is standing against the farmers.”
Former Congress MLC Ivan D’Souza said, “It is nice to note that various organisations have joined hands in the protest against the government for passing Agricultural Bills, which was passed without prior discussions, which should be totally condemned. These Bills in no way are favouring the farmers, other than making the investors and honchos of big corporates rich, thereby destroying the economic source of farmers. These Bills will make the investors live happily, whereas putting the farmers in poverty. What was the reason and why did Harsimrat Kaur Badal resign from the Modi cabinet, if everything was okay with the Bills favouring the farmers? This clearly shows the lack of support for the Agricultural Bills in the Modi-led cabinet. Chief minister Yediyurappa who took the oath in the name of farmers, but his government now has betrayed the farmers.”
District Hasiru Sene leaders Ravikirana Poonacha and Oswald Prakash Fernandes; District Congress Mahila Morcha President Shalet Pinto; J Balakrishna, Karunakara, Jayanthi Shetty; JD(S) leader Sumathi Hegde, Congress leaders Santhosh Kumar Shetty, Sadashiva Ullal, PV Mohan, among others were present in the protest. Two days ago, the same like-minded organizations had held a National-Highway bandh but were quickly whisked away by the police.
