Prantha Raitha Sangha to back February 12 strike

Farmers, workers, and other sections of the working class will observe an all-India strike on February 12 in protest against what has been termed “anti-farmer” and “anti-worker” policies of the Union and State governments.

Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha’s H.R. Naveen Kumar announced this while inaugurating the third Mysuru District Conference of the organisation here on February 7.

Mr. Kumar alleged that the Narendra Modi-led Union government, which had come to power after promising to double farmers’ income, had instead introduced policies such as electricity privatisation and seed-related laws that favoured corporate interests and forced farmers out of agriculture. He said these policies must be withdrawn to protect peasant agriculture in the country.

He also criticised the Siddaramaiah-led State government for acquiring fertile agricultural land for development projects instead of granting land titles to over 20 lakh Bagair Hukum cultivator families who have been cultivating government land for decades. Such actions, he said, were against the ideals of former Chief Minister D. Devaraj Urs, who implemented the “land to the tiller” principle.

Earlier, farmers took out a procession from Ramaswamy Circle to Buddha Vihara. The conference adopted seven resolutions, including a decision to lay siege to the Chief Minister’s office in Mysuru in April to demand land titles for Bagair Hukum cultivators, and to ensure the success of the all-India strike called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha on February 12.