Bengaluru citizens protest at Lalbagh demanding withdrawal of the Parks Amendment bill
The Amendment passed by the Congress government allows up to 5% of park/garden area to be acquired for public infrastructure and utility projects undertaken by the government. Protesters raised concerns over the proposed 17.5 km Hebbal-Silk Board tunnel road and its potential impact on Lalbagh’s ecosystem and groundwater supply. On August 27th, at least 200 citizens and 40 groups have endorsed a letter opposing the amendment and tunnel road.
Updates on the protest against the Bidadi Township Project
On 25th August, farmers of Bidadi brought their protest against acquisition of land for the Bidadi Township Project to Freedom park, Bengaluru and announced that Vidhana Soudha would be blockaded. After a team of protesters went for a meeting with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, he promised that no land would be acquired forcefully. It was highlighted that despite verbal assurances, even in Devanahalli, efforts are ongoing to acquire land in an under-handed manner.
Farmers protest omission of taluks in drought affected list issued by Karnataka
On 28th August protesters blocked the state highway in Afzalpur town, over lack of clarity in the list about the guidelines used to declare a taluk as drought affected. Only 101 out of the 196 drought-affected taluks were included in the lists, leaving entire districts like Dharwad out of the equation. This poses a major setback for cultivators as they cannot utilise the interim compensation and relief measures.
Karnataka’s Hanur shootout sparks mass protest over ‘fake encounter’
Hundreds of farmers, villagers, Dalit and tribal leaders gathered outside the Hanur police station on 16th August demanding action, after forest personnel killed three men on the suspicion of poaching, in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary on August 15. The Forest Department alleged that its team fired in self-defence during an anti-poaching operation, but the victims’ families and eye-witnesses protest this incident for being a ‘fake encounter’.
Jantar Mantar protest demanding a raise in monthly pension to Rs. 7,500
On August 5th, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, thousands of pensioners under Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 gathered demanding the raise in monthly minimum pension from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 7,500, proper implementation of higher pension options, and free healthcare facilities to both pensioners and their wives. The minimum monthly pension has remained stuck at Rs. 1,000 since September, 2014. Years of peaceful appeals and memoranda to the government went ignored.
Protest against Tamil Nadu order barring youth from joining left demonstrations
The Directorate of Collegiate Education and higher education departments in Tamil Nadu issued circulars instructing to prevent students from attending left-leaning agitations. This order was heavily criticized by several political party leaders and student groups as a direct attack on democratic rights and freedom of expression. Spontaneous sit-ins were organised after which the state government revoked the controversial order with immediate effect on August 19th.
