Congress hits out at Karnataka CM Yediyurappa after farm bills protest 'bandh' fails

Pro-Kannada Activists and farmer associations have called for a day-long Karnataka bandh on Monday which is supported by Congress, JD(S) and several labour organisations. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala took to Twitter to criticise Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa for banning the bandh.

Yediyurappa brushes aside the Karnataka Bandh

Although a bandh was called, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday asserted his government was pro-farmers and sought to brush aside the State-wide bandh called by various farmers’ outfits. The state government has said that elaborate measures have been taken to ensure there is no disruption in normal functioning over the bandh, assuring that the people can carry on with their day-to-day activities normally without any fear. The government has warned against any move to forcefully enforce the bandh.

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Minimal impact of Bandh

The bandh, however, did not seem to have much of an impact in Karnataka as several parts of the state seemed to be functioning normally despite the bandh. However, sources said protestors were forcing people to shut their shops on account of Karnataka Bandh in Yadgiri district of Karnataka.

Sources stated no impact of the Bandh at Bengaluru City Market and Fruit market on Hosur road. People were seen selling and buying vegetables, fruits and other essentials from these markets.

However, protestors were seen requesting government bus drivers, conductors and passengers to co-operate with them for the protest against state govt in Belagavi District of Karnataka. During the incident, the passengers were seen questioning the protestors as to what wrong did they find in the new farm laws. When the protestors stated that the law would lead to land grabbing by corporates and foreign entities, people responded by saying that nothing of this sort was mentioned anywhere in the farm laws.

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Karnataka assembly passes farm amendment bills

The Yediyurappa administration successfully passed the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation and Development) (Amendment) Bill and the Karnataka Land Reforms (Second Amendment) Bill passed in the Legislative Assembly on Saturday despite the stiff opposition from the opposition parties, especially Congress.

While the amendments to land reform act liberalise farmland ownership, the APMC amendment bill curtails the powers of local Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMC) and allows private individuals to start agricultural trading, if they hold a permanent account number (PAN).

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