Bengaluru: On the opening day of the Winter Session on Monday December 13, farmers from across the State will stage a dharna in front of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, led by farmer activist Kodihalli Chandrashekar, demanding that the State Government withdraw the amendments to the APMC Act and the Land Reforms Act.

According to Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha President Kodihalli Chandrashekar, farmers will continue to protest until the State Government withdraws the ‘contentious’ Bills, which he claims are against farmers. “We will have Mahapanchayats in all Assembly seats in Karnataka, and ministers will be shown black flags during their programmes. Farmers’ difficulties must be addressed by the government,” he said.

In addition to handing over agricultural land, the farmers claimed that the government would provide a good market to corporates. He said the government should repeal the three farm laws that the Centre had already repealed, while also criticising Law Minister J. C. Madhuswamy’s statement that the State need not repeal them because the Centre had already did it. If the State Government worked against farmers’ interest, the State Government will be labelled anti-farmer,” said Kodihalli.