To show solidarity with the farmers in Delhi, several farmer groups in Karnataka, too, have decided to take out a tractor rally on Republic Day in Bengaluru. Farmer unions have planned to hold a tractor parade in New Delhi’s Outer Ring Road on Republic Day, as a protest against the three contentious farm laws brought in by the Narendra Modi-led Union government. The rally in Bengaluru will be held not only to show solidarity with the thousands of farmers who have been protesting against farm laws in Delhi for two months, but also to protest against the Karnataka government’s similar “anti-farmer” legislations, said farm leaders.
“The parade will commence from NICE Road entrance in Tumkur Road till Freedom Park soon after the flag hoisting ceremony by the Chief Minister. Farmers across Karnataka will participate in the tractor rally, which will see more than 1,000 vehicles on the road,” Kodihalli Chandrasekhar, President of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, told TNM.
Khet Mazdoor Congress President Sachin Meega said that similar protests will be held in all district headquarters in the state by farmers over the same issue. Other than farmers’ groups, student and labour unions, women and Dalit groups are also likely to join this rally.
On January 12, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the contentious new farm laws — the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act — till further orders. The apex court also constituted a four-member committee to make recommendations to resolve the impasse.
For the last two months, the farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been sitting in protests at various state borders joining Delhi with Haryana and Rajasthan, demanding to repeal the three laws and bring a new legislation on Minimum Support Price (MSP). After several rounds of talks between the farmers’ unions and the Union government failed, the former proposed to hold the tractor rally on Republic Day.
The Union government, however, sought an injunction against the farmers’ rally, citing security concerns. While the apex court did not pass an order, it has suggested that the Delhi Police under the Ministry of Home Affairs can decide on their own as it is a law and order matter. However, on Thursday, the talks between the police and farmers’ unions failed as the latter stuck to their demand to hold the rally inside Delhi and not outside the national capital.
In their negotiations with the Union government, the farmers have refused to accept an offer to withhold these laws for two years. Instead, they have maintained their demand to repeal these laws.
The Karnataka government, too, has passed similar legislations — Karnataka Land reforms (Amendment) Act 2020 and Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation and Development) (Amendment) Act, 2020. According to the farmers in Karnataka, these laws are harmful to small farmers and favour large corporations.