Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to direct Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to revoke the Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.
Taking to Twitter, Siddaramaiah posted the letters stating, "My letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him, in the interest of farmers, to direct Karnataka CM B.S. Yediyurappa to revoke Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020."
He wrote that the decision taken by the Karnataka government is unilateral and did not taking the farming community into confidence. "This amendment, which has a very high impact, needs to be debated in the assembly before being implemented. I strongly urge you in the interest of millions of farmers, to direct Chief Minister of Karnataka to withhold the ordinance," he said.
"Attempt to dilute farmers' rights is being taking place in Karnataka since Karnataka state government cabinet had promulgated the Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, to amend the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961, removing restrictions on non-agriculturists purchasing agriculture lands and doubling the ceiling on land holdings," Siddaramaiah wrote in the letter.
The cabinet had also taken a decision to repeal sections 79-A, 79-B, 79-C, and Section 80, and above said amendments have come into effect from August 19, 2020, he added.
"The decision of the Karnataka government, led by BS Yediyurappa, will have a multi-pronged effect on the following community and the political economy of Karnataka. Historical efforts to make the tiller as the owner of the land will be undone and pave the era of the rich owning the land," Siddaramaiah wrote.
The land reforms of 1961 and 1974 enabled marginalised sections, Dalits, and other backward classes people to be the owner of the land, he added.
"The government has come up with corruption in bureaucracy and investments to the agriculture sector as the reasons for the amendment. This exposes the incapability of government to contain corrupt practice and instead weaken the farming community," Siddaramaiah wrote.
( With inputs from ANI )
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