Farmers tractor rally peaceful in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Thousands of farmers held tract rally amidst police security in Bengaluru on Tuesday morning after the Republic Day parade, to express solidarity with those protesting in Delhi against the farm laws. Similar protests were in all district headquarters across the State.

The Bengaluru police made several arrangements to stop the tractors from entering the city. But on Tuesday morning, the tractors which arrived from different districts managed to enter the city by Tumakuru road, Mysuru road, Devanahalli, Hosakote and Hebbal road. They converged at Freedom Park in Central Bengaluru.

The Bengaluru police who earlier claimed that no farmer organisation came forward to take permission for the rally in the city were forced to permit only 10 tractors to participate in the protest.

Bengaluru traffic police said that most of the tractors were stopped on the outskirts and the farmers used their own vehicles to reach Freedom Park. There was no traffic jam as most of the roads were relatively empty in view of the Republic Day holiday.

According to the reports, approximately10,000 farmers and their supporters were seen in the protest and tractor rally organised as part of the 'Jana Ganarajyotsava Parade', said Vinya Sreenivasan, activist and member of Samyukta Horata, an umbrella organisation of farmers and trade unions. The rally by farmers in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka was largley peaceful.

More than 50 farmers' organisations, including Dalit bodies, and labour associations took part in the rallies.