Shivamogga gears up for Raitha Mahapanchayat

The raitha sangha took birth in the district and attracted nationwide attention with Kagodu Satyagraha in 1951

Shivamogga, which gave birth to farmers’ movements and the Dalit struggle, is hosting the first Raitha Mahapanchayat of southern India on Saturday.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait, BKU general secretary Yudhvir Singh, and Krantikari Kisan Union Punjab president Darshan Pal, who are leading the protests against anti-farmers’ laws in Delhi, will address the rally at Science Field in the city.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha, United Struggle Committee, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Hasiru Sene and anti-BJP political parties have joined hands for the rally. Hundreds of farmers from Shivamogga and neighbouring districts are expected to take part in the rally.

Shivamogga has a long history of people’s movements. The raitha sangha took birth in the district and attracted nationwide attention with the Kagodu Satyagraha in 1951. That movement prompted many senior socialist leaders, including Ram Manohar Lohia, to visit the place. With that, the socialist movement also received significant support in the district. In later years, the struggles of seeking grant of land for the landless tenants put pressure on the governments to bring in pro-farmer laws. Dalit Sangharsha Samiti took birth in Shivamogga under the leadership of M. Krishnappa, who was teaching in a college at Bhadravati.

Besides this, Shivamogga has always been at the forefront in pro-environment struggles. Writers, activists and intellectuals actively participated in the Kudremukh Ulisi (Save Kudremukh) movement. Rakesh Tikait’s father Mahendra Singh Tikait had participated in a meeting of Kudremukh Ulisi in Shivamogga in January 2000.

“As many as 21 years after Mahendra Singh Tikait’s visit to Shivamogga, his son is coming here. All factions of farmers’ organization have joined hands to organise this historic event,” said K.L. Ashok, one of the organizers.

The leaders from Delhi will travel Shivamogga by road on Saturday morning. Along the route, hundreds of people will travel along with him.

“People in Bengaluru, Tumakuru and other places will follow them in cars. They will all assemble at Bhadravati for lunch and then move to Shivamogga to attend the rally,” he said.

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