Protesters block traffic on highways in Davanagere

DAVANAGERE: Activists and functionaries of the Communist Party of India and the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) joined hundreds of farmers from the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) to protest what they claimed to be the ‘anti-farmer’ policies of the state and central governments in Davanagere on Friday. Members of the Kisan Congress Unit too participated in the demonstration wherein tires were burnt and movement of heavy vehicles were blocked on the National Highway-48 bypass.
The protest, which is one among the many being held across the state, sought to exert pressure on the Centre to roll back the amendments to farm bills, which they believe will leave the ryots in a very vulnerable position. Meanwhile, another group of farmers blocked vehicular traffic on NH-50 – the Solapur-Mangaluru Highway – near Hiremallanahalli where the protest was led by activist Hucchavvanahalli Manjunath. It was not until police rushed to these spots and pacified the protesters that traffic, which ground to a halt for half-an-hour, resumed on the two highways.