While the farmers’ agitation is picking up steam in the national capital and they have called for a ‘Bharat bandh’ on Tuesday, the Karnataka Legislative Council on the opening day of the winter session saw a heated debate on the Karnataka Land Reforms (Second) Amendment Bill, 2020. With the Congress opposing the Bill, further discussion on it is slated for Tuesday.
While Revenue Minister R. Ashok, who introduced the Bill in the Council for the second time, sought it to be passed, Congress members insisted that a discussion was needed.
In September, during the monsoon session when the Bill was introduced, the Congress and the JD(S) had successfully stalled the passage of the Bill as discussion went on past midnight on the last day of the session. Smarting under the failure to pass the Bill, the government introduced the Bill on the first day of the winter session. One of the important changes that the Bill seeks is to remove the current restrictions on purchase of farm lands in the State.
Senior Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad said they would not be sending the right signal by passing the Bill when farmers are protesting in Delhi and bandh call has been given. After about 15 minutes of high decibel arguments, chairman K. Prathapchandra Shetty adjourned the House to Tuesday.
