Siddaramaiah, Shivkumar detained while protesting against farm laws in Bengaluru
Jan 20, 2021
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India] January 20 : Former chief minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar and other party leaders were detained while marching towards Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru to protest against farm laws enacted by Central government in September last year.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and others were stopped by police when they tried to march towards Raj Bhavan, after addressing a huge rally of farmers at the Freedom Park this afternoon.
Earlier in the day, Shivakumar has accused the state government of stopping the protesters from reaching the state capital.
He appealed to those who were prevented from proceeding to the city, to hold protest by blocking the highways.
"I heard and got several calls that farmers who are coming to Bengaluru from other districts are been stopped by police and not letting them come to Bengaluru. I urge farmers to stop wherever they are and protest, block the highways, roads and protest in favour of farmers. I know Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is trying to stop farmers at any cost and not letting them to participate in protest. I request protesters to come to Sangolli Rayanna statue and participate in massive protest rally," Shivakumar said in a video message.
Reacting on opposition's claims, BJP's state unit alleged that the Congress, which had been responsible for the farmers' suicide throughout its regime, was staging a drama by opposing the pro-farmer laws introduced by the Centre.
"From 2013-18, thousands of farmers committed suicide in Karnataka under CM Siddaramaiah's misrule, BJP Karnataka said in a series of tweets.
Since 2014, the Narendra Modi government has gone about reforming the agriculture sector step-by-step, BJP Karnataka added.
"Farmers are the soul of our nation. They are our Annadaatas. But the Congress under the Nehru dynasty always betrayed them by consistently telling lies to them. Our poor farmers were suppressed for decades," BJP added.
The tenth round of talks between farmer unions and the Central government over the three farm laws took place at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
