Bengaluru: The Karnataka farmers called for a state-wide bandh today on Saturday, September 5, agitating over the Central and the State government’s alleged indifference towards the rising cases of farmer suicides in the state.
Several protest rallies are held across Karnataka, especially in Bengaluru. This is the second bandh in the State in less than a week and this time the bandh call has been given by the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers Association and the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene.
Farmers, social organisations and pro-Kannada organisations are expected to take an active part in the bandh. However, it has not created much impact like the recent Bharat Bandh, which was observed on Sept 2.
In order to end the crisis of farmers’ suicide, the association has demanded that the Centre and State government waive off crop loans taken by farmers from nationalized and cooperative banks as the drought situation in the state has adversely affected production, the farmers demanded.
Earlier, KSSGA president Kurubur Shanthakumar had also said that in order to put pressure on the authorities, the association will observe a bandh and also be part of the agitation till the demand is met.
Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has also extended its support to the protest. KSCA, headed by its secretary Brijesh Patel, has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Siddaramaiah.
The state-wide bandh is unlikely to disrupt normal life in Bengaluru, state capital. Buses and autos are also expected to ply in the city as usual.
