Bharat Bandh: Rasta roko held in Mangaluru; protests held across Dakshina Kannada

Mangaluru, Dec 8: Various farmers’ organisations and political parties apart from BJP in Dakshina Kannada district have extended support to the nationwide bandh call given by farmers today. 

A rasta roko protest was held at Nanthoor in the city at 10am. Leaders and workers of Congress, CPIM, DYFI among other parties pro-farmer groups and social activists took part in the Nanthoor protest. 

Addressing the protesters, district president of Hasiru Sene Raithara Sangha Oswald said: “We are suspicious that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced lockdown and asked everyone to sit at home to amend this bill. The government did not even think to consult with the concerned before the bills were being amended."

Similar protests were held by various pro-farmer organisations across the district. Karavali Karnataka Janabhivriddhi Vedike spokesperson TR Bhat said, “Various organisations have extended their support to the national level protest by farmers. Our forum has been fighting against mega industries and their agents who acquire agriculture land forcefully. We extend our support to farmers in the nation and demand the government to repeal those anti-farmer laws.”

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (Hasiru Sene) Dakshina Kannada district unit has extended its support to the nationwide bandh call given by farmers. Sangha district president Suresh Bhat said that the Centre’s new farm laws will affect agriculture sector adversely. “New farm laws will be disastrous to our traditional farming. It is a part of central government’s conspiracy that the laws will pave way for dismantling of the minimum support price system. Farmers will have to cultivatr following the directions of corporate companies and they will not have any rights on produces,” he said.

Runamuktha Horata Samiti president BM Bhat said that the organization held a protest in association with the Congress near the Mini Vidhana Soudha in Belthangady on Tuesday. District Congress Committee president and MLC K Harish Kumar took part.

Dakshina Kannada District Muslim Okkoota also has extended support to the cause of farmers.