Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) members observed ‘raitha satyagraha’ in the State on Thursday demanding the withdrawal of what they called anti-farmer laws — Karnataka Land Reforms Act, anti-cow slaughter law, and APMC Act.
KRRS members staged a protest in all the district centres and submitted petitions to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah through the Deputy Commissioners of districts. Later in the day, the State Cabinet withdrew one of the three laws — the APMC Act.
KRRS State president Badagalapura Nagendra, who led the protest in Mysuru district, expressed concern over the amended form of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act and said it would affect the State and country’s food security. “The erstwhile BJP government not only allowed non-farmers to buy farmland but also removed the income ceiling with respect to buying farmland. This has resulted in large tracts of farmland reaching the hands of capitalists,” he told The Hindu. He also demanded that authorities impose conditions on converting the land-use pattern of farmland.
Similarly, the anti-cow slaughter legislation was anti-farmer in spirit, he alleged while referring to the conditions that did not allow farmers to slaughter worthless cows or male HF calves. The legislation had also come in the way of the exchange of cattle as farmers needed to take permission from authorities to transport their cattle, he pointed out. “In fact, anti-cow slaughter legislation has hit dairy farming in the State as it is not farmer-centric in its approach. It does not consider farmer as the protector of cows,” he alleged.
On the APMC legislation, he demanded that besides withdrawing the legislation, the government should also take steps to strengthen traditional markets in rural areas and farmers’ markets in urban areas that provide for direct sales of produce from farmers to consumers.
He warned that the KRRS would have to launch a campaign if the government delayed the process of withdrawal of these legislation.
Pointing out that the Congress had promised in its poll manifesto to implement the M.S. Swaminathan committee report of providing remunerative prices to farmers for their produce, Mr. Nagendra demanded that such a promise should be implemented on priority in the interest of farmers.
