Karnataka Farmers Union Mobilizes Support for Nationwide Strike on February 12
Mysuru: In a significant development, HR Naveenkumar, the secretary of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha, has issued a clarion call to farmers, agricultural labourers, and the broader working class across the state. He urged them to actively participate and ensure the resounding success of the All India strike scheduled for February 12. This industrial action is being organized by a coalition of various trade unions and prominent farmers' organizations.
Strike Targets Anti-People Policies of Central and State Governments
Addressing a large gathering at the third district-level conference of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha, held at Buddha Vihar in Mysuru, Naveenkumar articulated the core grievances driving the protest. He stated that the strike is a direct response to what he described as the anti-people, anti-farmer, anti-labour, and anti-democratic policies being implemented by both the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the state government of Karnataka under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Naveenkumar was particularly scathing in his criticism of the central administration. He characterized the ruling dispensation in New Delhi as a corporate-oriented government that systematically sidelines the interests of farmers and labourers. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi famously promised to double the income of farmers during his tenure. However, the harsh reality is that farmers have been among the most severely affected and neglected sections during his government's rule," he asserted during his speech.
State Government Accused of Neglecting Land Rights and Social Justice
The farmers' leader also turned his focus to the Congress-led state government in Karnataka. He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of significant delays in the crucial process of distributing title deeds and formal land ownership rights. This issue affects an estimated 20 lakh farmers across the state who are cultivating bagair hukum land (land without proper legal title) and other government-owned parcels.
"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who often projects himself as a champion of social justice, has unfortunately also neglected the pressing interests and welfare of poor, marginalized farmers," Naveenkumar stated. He drew a sharp historical contrast, praising the legacy of former minister D Devaraj Urs, who pioneered historic land reforms that empowered tenants by granting them ownership rights.
"In a stark reversal of that progressive legacy, the current state Congress government is engaged in evicting farmers from their ancestral lands. They are acquiring fertile agricultural land under the pretext of development projects, actions that are fundamentally against the interests and survival of the farming community," he added, highlighting a perceived betrayal of pro-farmer principles.
New Leadership Elected for District Unit
The conference also served as a platform for organizational matters. During the proceedings, new office-bearers were elected to lead the Mysuru district unit of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha. The assembly selected Chikkannegowda as the new district unit president. Jagadeesh Surya was appointed as the district secretary, and Prashanth Padukone was chosen to serve as the treasurer, marking a renewal of local leadership committed to the union's cause.
The call for the February 12 strike underscores growing agrarian unrest and sets the stage for a major confrontation between farmer-worker unions and government authorities over policies affecting rural livelihoods and workers' rights.
