Farmers in Karnataka to Hold Tractor Rally Sans Police Permission

Thousands of farmers, along with 200 vehicles, will hold a Republic Day parade in Bengaluru. Picture for representation purposes only. 

(Photo: Shadab Moizee)

Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma

Leaders of various farmer organisations are holding a protest outside the Karnataka police headquarters, after police denied permission to hold a tractor rally in Bengaluru.

On Monday, the farmer organisation had announced that in order to show solidarity to the farmers protesting in New Delhi, thousands of farmers and 200 vehicles, including tractors, will hold a Republic Day parade in Bengaluru.

In a joint press conference called by farmers’ organisations, Dalit organisations, and labour associations, they said that protesters will enter the city from all entry points to the city.

“While farmers coming from districts far from the Bengaluru will come in cars and jeeps, farmers from neighbouring districts of the Tumkuru, Ramanagara, Mandya, Mysore Chikkabalapura and Kolar will be entering the city with their tractors,” Chamarasa Malipatil of Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha said.

While the farmer groups are gearing up to hold the parade, Bengaluru city police are yet to give permission to the protest. City police commissioner Kamal Pant held a meeting with the senior police officers on Monday to discuss their plan of action.

When asked about permission, Malpatil said that they do not require permission to hold the Republic Day celebration. However, in order to avoid inconvenience to the public, they would work with the police. “But, if they do not give us permission to hold the parade, the protest would take a different turn and the consequences will be the responsibility of the government,” he said.

He added that if farmers in New Delhi are given permission, farmers in Karnataka too should be allowed to hold the rally. He added that they will not disturb the government’s Republic Day celebrations.

For the last two months, the farmers from Punjab and Haryana have been sitting in protests at various state borders joining Delhi with Haryana and Rajasthan, demanding to repeal the three laws and bring new legislation on Minimum Support Price (MSP). After several rounds of talks between the farmers’ unions and the Union government failed, the former proposed to hold the tractor rally on Republic Day.