Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa To Tour State To Educate Farmers About Farm Bills

Certain parts of Karnataka saw a few farmer organisations, pro-Kannada groups backed mainly by the opposition parties Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) take to the streets on Monday (28 September) protesting against the farm bills that were passed recently.

After these groups protested by blocking highways, burning effigies, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said he would tour the state and educate farmers about the changes that have been made by the bills.

"No injustice will happen to the farmer when I am here as the CM. These acts are for the benefits of farmers. The farmer can sell his crop wherever he wants,"said Yediyurappa addressing a press conference.

"I am a farmer's son and have come to power with the support of farmers. These laws were brought into effect after much thought to help farmers and give them independence and freedom to sell their crop at a price that they fix. They can sell it to APMCs too. It's their choice," said the 'raita nayaka' (farmer leader) as he is popularly called.

Alleging that misinformation was being spread intentionally by the opposition, the septegenuarian CM said he would personally tour the entire state and convince farmers personally of the benefits of the bills passed by the state and the centre.

"I will travel around the state and convince farmers about the new laws. I am sure that 95 per cent of the farmers will be convinced,” he said.

He also asked farmers to wait and watch for another six months and decide about the pros and cons of the changes in the APMC act and the land reforms bills that were recently passed by the state assembly.

"It's my crop, my right. They can sell agricultural produce anywhere in India. APMC is not shut. It will remain open. Farmers can still go to APMC as well. There is freedom for anything. I request the farmers not to heed to false perception. Please give it 6 months or a year and see how it goes." he appealed.

The amendments to the Karnataka Land Reforms which takes off restrictions on the purchase of agricultural land in the state and the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act were passed by the Karnataka Assembly even as the Congress and JDS among other opposition parties strongly objected.

As no permission had been given for protests in capital city Bengaluru, 12,000 civil police, 47 KSRP, 24 CAR platoons were deployed, according to the City Commissioner Kamal Pant. As a few took to the street in a protest march from the Town Hall to Freedom park in the city, the police arrested a few SDPI, Congress and JDS workers.