BENGALURU: Traffic was thrown out of gear around the Central Business District on Monday, following massive rallies staged by state farmer associations and Congress workers here till the afternoon. Many commuters and even BJP leaders were stuck in traffic jams around Freedom Park. However, the police stopped the protesting farmers near KR Circle, as Section 144 is enforced near Vidhana Soudha.
Members of several farmer associations from across the state began a rally from Sangolli Rayanna Circle near the city railway station, from where they reached Freedom Park. They were protesting against the Centre’s three contentious farm laws, while also demanding that the decision to privatise several government sectors be withdrawn.
A senior police officer said, “Traffic movement was disrupted in and around Majestic, Anand Rao Circle and Sheshadri Road for some time. Tension prevailed around the area, as protestors opposed the police for not allowing them to march ahead as they had planned to lay siege to Vidhana Soudha.”
Meanwhile, Congress leaders, led by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president DK Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, rode on a bullock cart to reach Vidhana Soudha, and Minister S T Somashekar was stuck in a traffic jam for about half an hour. Thousands of Congress workers participated in the stir against rising fuel prices.
Meanwhile, Kuruburu Shanthakumar, state president of Sugarcane Growers Association, said, “We have called a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on September 27 when a huge rally will be held across the state. We were not part of Monday’s rally.”