Bengaluru: A large number of farmers who wanted to stage a demonstration against Prime Minister Narendra Modi to protest the non-implementation of the Swaminathan Report were detained at Bengaluru, Tumakuru, and Shivamogga, police said on Thursday.
According to police, the detentions have taken place in certain parts of Tumakuru, near Bengaluru, as well as in Shivamogga. As part of his two-day visit to Karnataka, Modi is scheduled to visit Tumakuru on Thursday to pay his respects to the departed seer of Siddaganga Mutt Shivakumara Swamiji and meet the present pontiff Siddalinga Mahaswamiji.
Karnataka: Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 3rd installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi. He also distributed Krishi Karman Awards to farmers in Tumakuru. pic.twitter.com/lenlRAvVwp
— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2020
Later, he was scheduled to address a public meeting where he will give away the Krishi Karman awards. In the evening he will reach Bengaluru to visit the DRDO facility to dedicate five DRDO Young Scientists Laboratories to the nation.
Pressing for the implementation of the Swaminathan Report, which recommends a holistic national policy, the farmers under the leadership of Kodihalli Chandrashekar had planned to stage a demonstration at Tumakuru.
Before they could leave for Tumakuru, the police detained them.
According to Chandrashekar, the farmers have been arrested at Nelamangala, Herohalli near Magadi, Kunigal and Koratagere in Tumakuru district and Shivamogga. Speaking to PTI, Chandrashekar said the BJP has betrayed farmers by not implementing the Swaminathan report.
“The BJP could implement all the agenda such as abrogation of Article 370, paving way for Ram Temple in Ayodhya and various other poll promises but it ignored its promise of implementing the Swaminathan report,” the farmer leader said.
Chandrashekar also said he has been detained at a ground on Magadi Road along with two others while farmers who wanted to take part in the protest have been detained in different parts of the state.