The protests against the amendments to the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961 has gained traction across Mysuru and surrounding areas and is likely to intensify. Hundreds of farmers, representing different organisations such as the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), the Karnataka State Sugarcane Farmers’ Association, and the Hasiru Sene, staged demonstrations at different places in the region on Wednesday and met the local MLAs who expressed support to their cause.
Even the BJP MLAs from the region, including L. Nagendra of Chamaraja Assembly segment and S.A. Ramdas of Krishnaraja segment commiserated with the agitating farmers and promised to have internal discussions within the party to convey the farmers sentiments.
KRRS president Badagalpura Nagendra said that farmers are united in the cause and their agitation with threaten the stability of the government if the amendments were not rescinded immediately.
He said so far 110 MLAs across the State have been contacted and the opposition of the farmers to the amendment to the Act has been communicated.
The agitation is set to put the BJP on the backfoot as even the Congress and the JD (S) have expressed its opposition while supporting the farmers.
G.T. Deve Gowda, Chamundeshwari MLA, who was supportive of the farmers demand, promised to speak against it in the Assembly. “Despite all clauses in the original Act to safeguard farm land from being acquired, the conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purpose has continued unabated,” warned Mr. Gowda.
Scores of farmers of Karnataka Sugarcane Cultivators’ Association assembled in front of the residences of S.R. Mahesh, JD (S) MLA, Yathindra Siddramaiah, Congress MLA, and also demonstrated in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office against the amendments.
