On 26 January, as farmers protesting at Delhi’s borders drove into the national capital in large numbers on a fleet of tractors, farmers in Karnataka also held rallies and demonstrations in their support. Thousands from across Karnataka congregated at the NICE junction at Bengaluru’s Tumkur road, as part of the “Jana Ganarajyotsava Parade”—The People’s Republic Day Parade. They later converged with other farmer rallies at the Freedom Park in central Bengaluru. The parade, which was held in solidarity with the protesting farmers, echoed their demand for repealing the three controversial farm laws that were passed in parliament in September 2020. It was led by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, a farmers’ organisation, and the Samyukta Horata, an umbrella organisation of farmers and trade unions. More than 50 farmers’ organisations took part in the parade, including Dalit organisations such as the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti and Karnataka Dalit Samiti, and various labour associations, with around ten thousand farmers and protesters estimated present at Freedom Park.
Like in the national capital, the police stopped the hundreds of farmers approaching Bengaluru on their tractors and lorries by erecting barricades at key entry points leading to the city. The farmers were then asked to park their tractors, and head to the Bangalore railway station, which was another venue from where farmers were marching towards Freedom Park. According to a report in The Telegraph, the police allowed only ten tractors to enter Freedom Park. Kurbur Shanthakumar, the president of the Karnataka Sugarcane Growers Association, criticised the police action. “The police stopped hundreds of tractors from entering the city. We condemn this action that violated our right to organise peaceful protests,” Shanthakumar told reporters.
In addition to the three farm laws, Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, a leader of the KRRS, stated that the rally was also in protest against the Land Reforms Act “that the BJP government in Karnataka had recently amended.” The amendment, which was passed last December, lifts restrictions on purchasing agricultural land. In response, farmer organisations like the KRRS and Hasiru Sene, led a protest march that month to the Vidhana Soudha, or the state assembly, while the winter session was underway, demanding that state government scrap the amendments.
At the NICE junction, during the 26 January rally, protesters and farmers hoisted the national flag and recited the national anthem. A group of predominantly women protesters, waved the national flag, as they chanted slogans in Kannada, demanding justice and challenging the farm laws. “Raithara horatakke, jayavagalli, jayavagalli”— For the farmers’ protest, let there be victory, victory, they said. “Till when will we protest? We will protest, until we win. Why do we protest? For justice, we protest.” They continued, “All farmers together, come forward for the protest.” These were interspersed with slogans in Hindi such as, “Awaz do, hum ek hain”—Raise your voice, we are one, and, “Sarkaar humse darti hai, police ko aage karti hai”—The government is scared of us, that’s why it puts the police in front of us.”
