Bharat Bandh: Karnataka govt instructs police to maintain ‘peace and order’

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed to farmers to allow financial activities to be conducted since the country is still recovering from the financial losses brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Karnataka state police have been directed to take necessary precautions in order to maintain peace and order on Monday, the day of a 10-hour long Bharat Bandh, home minister Araga Jnanendra told reporters on Sunday.

The Bharat Bandh has been called by Samyukt Kisan Morcha to mark a year of the Central government passing the three controversial farm laws (PTI)

"Police have been instructed to take all the necessary precautionary measures to maintain peace and order in the wake of Bharat Bandh tomorrow," Jnanendra said.

The Bharat Bandh has been called by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions, to mark a year of the Central government passing the three controversial farm laws, which they have been protesting against for 10 months now.

Protesting farmers have planned for a ‘Raasta Roko’ andolan and police have been instructed to maintain strict vigil so as to ensure no untoward incidents are reported in and around Bengaluru. Police sources told news agency PTI that since most organisations have only extended moral support to the bandh it is unlikely to impact normal life in the state or in the capital.

Public transport employees’ unions, hotel owners association, lorry, auto rickshaw, and taxi owners unions said they support the protest, but will continue to operate on Monday, citing losses incurred during the pandemic. Metro services are also likely to operate in Bengaluru during the bandh hours.