BJP bandh in Karnataka on loan waiver evokes dull response

The opposition BJP’s appeal to farmers and the public to “voluntarily observe a bandh” across Karnataka on Monday to protest the alleged failure of chief minister HD Kumaraswamy to keep up his farm loan waiver promise, got off to a dull start.

Reports from across the state said normal life had not been affected, with schools and colleges, as also public transport services, functioning normally.

Most of the farmers’ and proKannada organisations have not supported the bandh call, citing politics behind it.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists held demonstrations in different parts of the state; during one such event Mysuru MP Pratap Simha and some party workers were detained by the police.

In a fierce attack on the coalition government headed by Kumaraswamy, BJP state chief BS Yeddyurappa, during the trust vote on May 25, had termed it “unholy” and announced a state-wide bandh if farm loans worth ₹53,000 crore were not waived immediately as promised.

However, on May 26, Yeddyurappa, who is also the leader of the opposition in the assembly, had said that BJP had not called for a bandh, but was only supporting a call given by farmers.

In a statement released on Sunday, BJP state general secretary N Ravi Kumar hit out at the CM for not keeping up his promise and called on farmers and the public to observe a bandh “voluntarily”.

On his part, Kumaraswamy, who had promised farm loan waiver immediately after coming to power, has sought time, saying he headed a coalition government with the Congress and would have to consult them before taking any decision.

He said he would also have to understand the financial condition of the state.

The Kumaraswamy government had on May 25 won the vote of confidence in the legislative assembly amid a walkout by BJP MLAs.

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