Farmers’ organisations in Karnataka on Monday have organised a statewide dawn-to-dusk- bandh to protest against amendments to the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMC) and land reforms acts made by the BS Yediurappa government.

They are also protesting against the newly implemented farm Bills by the Centre, which on Sunday became Laws, after the President’s green signal.

All India Kisan Sabha and other organisations protested in front of Hemavathi statue in Hassan and held a bike rally, reported news agency ANI.

Police force has been deployed to tackle the situation in Kalaburagi area of Karnataka in the wake of the protests.

In Hubli, farmers’ organisations offered flowers to shopkeepers requesting them to support today’s statewide bandh, ANI reports.

However, normal traffic flow was seen in Mangalore. 

Warning of stern action against any forcible enforcement of the bandh, the state government has said it would take all necessary steps to ensure that there was no disruption to the normal functioning of its offices, hospitals, shops and establishments and maintaining services of taxis and buses.

It has defended the bills, saying the measures had been brought with an intention to give freedom to the farmers for selling their produce in any part of the state or country.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa told reporters on Monday he had spoken to the leaders of farmers’ organisations at Vidhana Soudha (Karnataka’s legislative assembly). “They were not willing to discuss the amendment when I called them to discuss the farm Bills,” Yediyurappa said, ANI reported.

“They have already decided to protest. Being a farmer’s son, I am on the farmers’ side. These amendments have been brought after long discussions,” he added.

“It’s my crop, my right,” the CM said, adding that the farmers are free to sell their produce wherever they get a fair price. 

On farmers’ concerns on APMCs being not included in the ‘trade area’ in The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, recently passed in Parliament, the Karnataka CM said, “we haven’t closed doors of APMC.”

” I request farmers, wait for another 6 months or a year. You’ll get to know how it’ll help you,” he added.