Farmers to stage protests against changes to various laws from June 29

MANGALURU: Dakshina Kannada district unit of Akhila Bharata Raitha Sangharsha Samanvaya Samiti, an umbrella organisation of 218 farmers organisation across India, will stage protest demonstrations against what its leadership said was drastic and unprecedented changes in laws pertaining to land, agriculture, power to support the corporate companies. These changes will have a major bearing on food security of the nation, the leaders maintained.
Effecting these changes through the ordinance route during a pandemic has only compounded the present situation, Ravikiran Punacha, state secretary of the samiti told media persons on Thursday. Changes proposed to Karnataka Land Reforms Act, draft Electricity Amendment Bill 2020 proposed by the ministry of power, central law mooted to amend the APMC Act are all retrograde steps which will hurt the farming sector deeply, Punacha said.
Gradual dilution of the Land Reforms Act over the years has pushed the farmers to the brink of becoming labourers in their own land, he said adding this step has been taken despite the fact that 75% of gross national income comes from agriculture based income. This move will also have a major impact on food security of the nation in that 80% of the farmers are marginal and small farmers with landholding of less than two hectares, he said.
K Yadava Shetty, state vice-president of the samiti said the changes proposed to the essential commodities Act will encourage black marketing and dilution of labour laws hurt the security that is provided to labourers. The protests will be held in front of Sullia mini Vidhan Soudha on June 29, at Bantwal mini Vidhan Soudha and Moodbidri nada kacheri on June 30, mini Vidhan Soudha at Mangaluru, Belthangady and Puttur on July 1, respectively.