Vehicles stuck as farmers block NH

Hubballi / Belagavi: Protesting against the proposed amendment to the land acquisition act, hundreds of farmers blocked Gabbur Cross on the Pune-Bengaluru national highway for half an hour on Monday.
When the members of Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and Hasiru Sene refused to call off their protest, police arrested them and released them later.
During the rasta-roko, vehicular movement on the highway was affected badly. Traffic was blocked from Bankapur Chowk in Old Hubballi and it took several hours to return to normal.
Earlier in the day, the protesters shouted slogans against the coalition government and urged it waive farmers loans completely and sanction new loans. They said, “Already the district is facing severe drought. Under such circumstances the state government should waive the loan. It should also provide drinking water properly and fodder to cattle".
Farooque Killedar, Manjunath Kalwad, Kalmesh Ligadi, Mallappa Nesargi, Sharada Hiremath, Neelawwa Hooli, Mahadevi Ammantur, Ramesh Kyarakoppa and others took part in the protest.
At Suvarna Soudha
Opposing the proposed amendment to the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 by the state government, Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and Hasiru Sene activists protested in front of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha (SVS) by blocking the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway-4 in Belagavi on Monday.
The protesters said the amendment will be a death knell to farmers and added that they would oppose it to the hilt. “The state government should withdraw the proposal amendment immediately and if not it will face the ire of farmers in the coming days,” they said.
As traffic was getting blocked on the highway, police took the activists into custody and released them later. State organizing secretary Mallikarjun Ramadar, district president Satyappa Mallapure, Yallappa Dodamani and Guru Somannavar were among those who took part in the protest.
MLA supports farmers
Farmers in Athani blocked the Sankeshwar-Jewargi state highway. Farmer leader Mahadev Madiwalar warned of intensifying the protest if the government continues to be adamant in respect to the welfare of farmers. Meanwhile, Congress MLA Mahesh Kumathalli visited the protestors and extended his support. He said he too would oppose the proposed amendment.