Traffic in Mysuru hit as farmers block highways, demand law to guarantee MSP

MYSURU: Traffic was disrupted on the busy Mysuru-Bengaluru, Mysuru-Ooty and Chamarajanagar-Coimbatore highways as hundreds of farmers took to the streets to mark the first anniversary of the farmers’ protest against the farm laws that were repealed recently by the Union Government. They also demanded a law to guarantee Minimum Support Price for their produce.

Motorists faced hardship as they had to take alternative roads to head towards Mysuru, Bengaluru and Gundlupet. The farmers, led by State Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kurbur Shanthakumar and Karnataka Raitha Sangha state president Badagalapura Nagendra, blocked a busy intersection near Bandipalya. The police diverted traffic via Gejjagalli towards Mysuru and Bengaluru-bound vehicles were diverted via KRS and Bannur-Malavalli.

They also blocked the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway near Srirangapatna with bullock carts, cattle, tractors and tillers in response to the bandh call by the Samyuktha Kisan Morcha. Only ambulances were allowed to ply.  The agitating farmers are also demanding a law assuring MSP, Rs 4,500 per tonne of sugarcane, arrears to cane growers and scientific price for paddy. 

In Chamarajanagar, farmers staged a protest at Santhemarahalli Circle demanding that the Centre pay compensation to the kin of over 700 farmers who died in Delhi borders.  

Human chain protest in Madikeri
madikeri: Farmers of Kodagu took out a protest rally in Madikeri on Friday to mark the first anniversary of the protests along Delhi borders against the three farm laws. “Along with withdrawal of the farm laws, the government must declare support prices. Privatization of electricity and price hike on fuel must be stopped. The government must provide compensation to the families of those who lost their lives during the protests at Delhi’s borders,” they demanded.