Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah urges immediate release of detained farmers

In a significant development amidst ongoing farmer protests against the Central Government's agricultural policies, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah penned a letter to chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Mohan Yadav, dated February 15, 2024. The letter expresses concern over the detention of a group of farmers from Karnataka en-route to Delhi to voice their grievances.   

The farmers, travelling from Bengaluru to Delhi, were reportedly detained in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, without clear reason. It has been four days since their detention, with no signs of release. Reports suggest police authorities intend to transfer them to Varanasi. Siddaramaiah strongly emphasises the fundamental constitutional right of citizens, including farmers, to participate in peaceful protests. 

He condemns the alleged ill-treatment and arbitrary detention by the Madhya Pradesh police authorities. The letter calls upon Dr. Mohan Yadav to personally intervene and ensure the immediate release of the detained farmers without further transfers.

In a related development amidst these protests, Siddaramaiah posted on platform X, drawing a comparison between historical events and the reported actions of the Modi government. Siddaramaiah highlighted that despite knowing his enemy lord Rama was approaching Lanka, Ravana did not obstruct his path. However, he contrasted this with the alleged actions of the Modi government, metaphorically involving the placement of barbed wire fences and the hammering of nails into roads used by farmers.