Bharath Bandh has little impact in Bengaluru

Farmers expected to gather at Freedom Park post-noon

Bharath Bandh call given by Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which is spearheading the protest at Delhi borders demanding rollback of farm laws, seems to have had little impact on normal life in Bengaluru.

All businesses were open and public transport services, including autorickshaws and cabs, are functioning as usual. Most traders’ bodies and transport associations announced moral support to the bandh call, but refused to close businesses citing losses they have already incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Farmers and Kannada organisations have begun rallies from multiple points around Bengaluru – K.R. Puram, Mysuru Road, Maurya Circle – and are all set to converge at Town Hall by 11 a.m. from where they will proceed to a protest rally at Freedom Park. Police have detained farmer leaders and protestors at different points in Bengaluru, drawing the ire of farmers.

Kuruburu Shantakumar was leading a protest at Maurya Circle when he was detained and taken to Adugodi police station.

“We were holding a peaceful demonstration and were not even blocking the road. We have been detained illegally, and this is an undemocratic act. We refused to get down from the bus at the police station, and are protesting here,” he said from Adugodi police station.

A senior police official said that farmers had permission to hold a rally from Town Hall to Freedom Park, but instead farmers had commenced rallies from different parts of Bengaluru.

Source: Read Full Article