Date:04/06/2010 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2010/06/04/stories/2010060453060400.htm Back
Karnataka - Bangalore
Three farmers detained at GIM venue
Staff Reporter
Bangalore: Three farmers from Shimoga were detained after they allegedly tried to barge into the Global Investors Meet venue at Palace Grounds here on Thursday.
The police said that the farmers had planned to shout slogans against the GIM as well as the State Government for allegedly acquiring agricultural lands for development works, particularly for setting up industries.
The arrested have been identified as Mallikarjun, Nittur Raju and Narasimha Murthy. Mallikarjun is the Shimoga district president of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) while others are members of KRRS.
The three young farmers, waving green shawls, entered the Palace Grounds gate on Thursday, when Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa was addressing the gathering, and shouted slogans against the State Government for allegedly acquiring fertile lands to give to the industrial sector.
The police stopped the protestors before they entered the grounds.
“The government has been acquiring agricultural lands across the State for the past two years. Already the farming community has lost thousands of hectares of land, especially in Bellary, Mysore, Shimoga, Mangalore, Udupi and other districts,” the protestors told presspersons.
Preventive custody
Meanwhile, about 250 activists of various Kannada organisations and farmers group were taken into preventive custody by the Cubbon Park police for allegedly holding a demonstration against GIM in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on Mahatma Gandhi Road here on Thursday.
The arrested persons, including the KRRS leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar, K.S. Puttannaiah, Rakshana Vedike (KRV) leader Narayana Gowda and others, were later released on certain conditions.
The protestors shouted slogans against the government and requested it not to “grab” lands from farmers.
Activists of KRRS, KRV, Karunada Sene, Samata Sainika Dal and Praja Vimochana Chaluvali participated in the demonstration.
‘Global Looters' Meet'
Activists from various non-governmental organisations, later in the evening, held a demonstration in front of Town Hall and shouted slogans against the State Government and described the GIM as “Global Looters' Meet”.
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