Farmers' tractor rally peaceful in Bengaluru

After taking a tough stand on farmers’ Jana Ganarajyotsava Parade, Bengaluru City Police on Tuesday relented and allowed tractors on city roads that passed peacefully. About 10,000 farmers participated in the parade.

The police on Monday had ordered that farmers could protest but not on slow-moving vehicles. However, the city police relented and allowed only a few vehicles. The farmers’ parade in Bengaluru was to express solidarity with protesting farmers at New Delhi.

The today’s protest saw various farmer’s associations under the banner of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Samyukta Horata and backed by few trade unions, Dalit associations and Communist parties.

Protesting farmers, in an organised manner, drove their tractors to Freedom Park in central Bengaluru. The tractors entered the city from Mysuru road, Tumkur road, old Madras road and Ballari road.

Kurubur Shanthakumar, president of Karnataka Sugarcane Farmers’ Association, said the Police after a hard bargain allowed limited tractors to the protest site. They told us not to disrupt city traffic."

"In today's parade about 10,000 farmers from Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Hassan, Tumkuru and Kolar took part," he added.

However, as agitators entered the city, there was slow-moving traffic in the city centre.

Till Monday night, Bengaluru Police Commissioner had not agreed to farmers’ request of holding a tractor rally. Police Commissioner Kamal Pant had said, “If farmers come in cars, buses and jeeps, there is no problem. Whatever permissions we have been giving for rallies will be given. There is no permission to do any tractor rally inside the city.”

However, on Tuesday, he yielded to farmers’ request, and the rally passed off peacefully with over 10,000 farmers assembling at the protest site. Police detained a few protesters who tried to lead a protest march to Raj Bhavan and Vidhana Soudha. Farmers rally in the state too passed off peacefully.

Congress party extends support

In the morning, the Congress MLAs – Krishna Byre Gowda said “Byatarayanapura Congress workers gathered in tractors to support nationwide farmers agitation. The Govt has stopped us at the outskirts.”

Opposition leader in the Assembly, Siddaramaiah, in a series of tweets, lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister B S Yediyurappa. “I urge Prime Minister @narendramodi to immediately repeal all the anti-farmer laws enacted before it becomes too late. Prime Minister @narendramodi & his cabinet should take full responsibility if any unpleasant event unfolds during Farmers' tractor march in Delhi.”

“@BSYBJP will pay the price for his anti-farmer stand in Karnataka and for his atrocities on the farmers who are protesting for their rights.”