Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Dec 8: The district Congress, Kisan Congress, Dalit Sangharsha Samithi, farmers organizations, Muslim organizations and Sahabalve Udupi staged a protest at Ajjarkad here on Tuesday, December 8 against the contentious farm laws.

The protesters burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and businessmen Ambani and Adani at the venue.

CITU district vice president Balakrishna Shetty urged the union government to withdraw the amendment made to the three farm laws, i.e; The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Shetty also spoke on the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, which is another Bill that has also come under fire. He stated that the Bill will turn out to be an additional burden of Rs 3,400 crore on the state government, which just includes the amount required for the supply of electricity. Adding to it, he said, "Farmers may lose their fertile land by the Land Reform Act. Corporate companies will purchase those lands. There is a need to bring forward the facts of these amended farm laws to the public."

Speaking on the occasion, Yogish Shetty, district JD(S) president said, "The Modi-led government is doing whatever they want to do without considering the interests of farmers. If the government does not withdraw those contentious farm laws, farmers will respond through the upcoming local body elections."

CITU district president Shankar said, "Farmers are the backbone of our country. However, the government is bent on destroying the entire agriculture system. The power sector system is also being privatised and the capitalists will soon gain control over lands owned by the farmers. This is not something that can be allowed to happen."

Addressing the gathering Yasin Malpe, district president of Muslim Okkoota said, "What was the necessity to pass the farm laws through an ordinance during the pandemic. It has left the farmers struggling for their existence."

Shashidhar Shetty Yermal, leader of Kisan Congress condemning the amendment to farm laws said, "The Government of India is taking away rights of the farmers. It is planning to sell their lands to corporations. If the farm laws are implemented, no one will have the right to question the invading of private lands. People should retort to this move of the BJP government by not favouring the party in gram panchayat polls."

Vishwanath Rai, CITU, Kaviraj secretary, Vidyaraj, Godwin, Congress leaders Mahabala Kundar, Suresh Nayak, Annayya Sherigar, Surendra Ganiga, Keerthi Shetty, Sourabh Ballal, NSUI district president, Geetha Vagle district president, Mahila Congress, Chandrika Shetty, Prashanth Jathanna, DSS Leader Sundar Master, Vishwanath Pethri, Ismail Athrady, Yasin Kodibengre, Jayaram Acharya, leader of JD(S) and activists of other associations were present.