Bharat Bandh: KTR Stages Sit-In Against Farm Laws

Following the decision of the Telangana state government yesterday to endorse the farmers' Bharat Bandh, the state's IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao, along with Tourism and Culture Minister Srinivas Goud and MP Keshav Rao, today staged a dharna at the Burgula toll gate near Shadnagar, on the Bengaluru national highway.

The dharna, mirroring the ongoing protests in Delhi, was held to stall vehicular movement in the area to support the farmers of Punjab and Haryana agitating against the three farm laws introduced by the BJP-led union government in September, 2020.

Holding a placard that read "Farmers Are Not Terrorists", KTR accused the union government of treating the protestors like outlaws, and said that such treatment was uncalled for as they were only seeking the withdrawal of the three farm laws which would "destroy" them economically.

Criticising the union government's attitude towards the farmers, he said that even though the entire nation was protesting against the new legislations, the government remained unmoved by the plight of the farmers, and was continuing to protect corporate interests.

"All sections of society are supporting the farmers' protest as the agricultural reforms will benefit only the big corporate companies. The Centre has to consider the demands of the farmers who give food to the nation, instead of simply furthering corporate interests," he said.

He demanded that the Centre roll back the controversial laws, and warned it that failure to do so would lead to the TRS government continuing to protest against it.

"The Centre has to refrain from bringing in anti-people and anti-farmer policies. We are determined to oppose these laws as they will dismantle the MSP and the mandi systems, and ruin agrarian livelihoods," he added.

Reiterating the state government's support for the protestors, KTR also said that the TRS government would continue to take steps to mount pressure on the Centre till the three Acts were withdrawn.

Other TRS leaders, including ministers T Harish Rao and T Srinivas Yadav, also observed the bandh in various places across the state, which led to large-scale traffic jams.