BENGALURU: Dozens of shepherds from across Karnataka converged on Freedom Park on Tuesday, demanding immediate passage of the Traditional Migratory Shepherds (Protection Against Atrocities and Provision of Welfare) Bill, 2025.
The organisers had warned of turning the venue into a “sea of sheep” — with herds flooding the capital’s streets — but strict police restrictions barred them from bringing the animals. “We got the shepherds, but couldn’t get sheep here, as we did in other districts,” admitted chief organiser and advocate Yellappa Hegde.
They had planned to protest right up to Vidhana Soudha, where the monsoon session is under way, but they were not allowed to. The Bill, pledged in the 2024-25 state budget, promises protection against the grim realities shepherds face daily — violence, theft, harassment, and even sexual assault. For a community that makes up 50-60 lakh of Karnataka’s population, leaders warned that this is no longer about politics. “This is not just a protest, but a fight for survival,” declared Hegde.
Adding weight to the demand, Sri Thinthini Mahapeetha pontiff Siddaramananda Puri Mahaswamiji issued an open letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to act without delay. “Our shepherds cannot remain easy prey for rogues and criminals. The government must prioritise this Bill and pass it in the current Assembly session,” he wrote.
Community leaders recounted chilling incidents, of shepherds being robbed at night, officials allegedly seizing sheep as bribes, women assaulted in fields, etc. “Remember, one sheep costs Rs 15,000. When a thief or a corrupt officer takes even one, it is a family’s bread gone,” said a protestor.
Another recalled the case of a young shepherd girl raped in Dharwad district, a horror they say is “only one among countless unreported tragedies”. The movement has snowballed across the state. For them, the stakes are existential - their dignity, livelihood, and security on the line.
The CM had promised during his budget speech to introduce legislation. The shepherds, however, said they had come to Bengaluru to ensure that promise does not vanish in the noise of politics.