<p>Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said his government will bring back a law that barred non-agriculturists from purchasing farmlands, a big-ticket reform the previous BJP regime had introduced to liberalise landholdings.</p><p>Siddaramaiah said this at an event to commemorate former chief minister D Devaraj Urs on his 109th birth anniversary. </p>.Devaraj Urs jayanthi: Centenary celebration plans yet to become reality.<p>"I am waiting for (Congress) to get a majority in the Legislative Council. Once that happens, definitely we will restore Sections 79A and B of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act," Siddaramaiah said. </p><p>It was Urs who amended the land reforms law to end "atrocities" by landholders, Siddaramaiah pointed out. </p><p>"Urs said that land should belong to the tiller. But what's happening today? Forget tillers, anyone can buy land now. Those who've never held a plow can purchase land. And, we're tolerating this," he said. "Who did that? It was those with vested interests who are against social change," he said. </p><p>In the 75-member Legislative Council, Congress holds 35 seats, three short of a simple majority. </p><p>In 2020, the BJP government amended the Karnataka Land Reforms Act and omitted Sections 79 A, B and C, thereby allowing even non-agriculturists to purchase and own farm lands. </p><p>Section 79A barred a person (or a family) with an annual non-agricultural income of Rs 25 lakh from acquiring agricultural land. Section 79B specified that only a person cultivating land personally could hold agricultural land. Section 79C prescribed penalties for falsely claiming eligibility to hold agricultural land. </p><p>The then BJP government argued that the provisions had outlived their utility and were leading to corruption. </p><p>As Leader of the Opposition, Siddaramaiah had described the move as “a scam bigger than illegal mining” and claimed that farm lands worth Rs 50,000 crore would be lost.</p><p>Earlier this year, Siddaramaiah had assured farmers that the Karnataka Land Reforms Act would amended as what the BJP had done was "anti-farmer". </p><p>Siddaramaiah is expected to meet resistance from his party colleagues, most of whom are in favour of keeping agricultural landholdings liberalised.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said his government will bring back a law that barred non-agriculturists from purchasing farmlands, a big-ticket reform the previous BJP regime had introduced to liberalise landholdings.</p><p>Siddaramaiah said this at an event to commemorate former chief minister D Devaraj Urs on his 109th birth anniversary. </p>.Devaraj Urs jayanthi: Centenary celebration plans yet to become reality.<p>"I am waiting for (Congress) to get a majority in the Legislative Council. Once that happens, definitely we will restore Sections 79A and B of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act," Siddaramaiah said. </p><p>It was Urs who amended the land reforms law to end "atrocities" by landholders, Siddaramaiah pointed out. </p><p>"Urs said that land should belong to the tiller. But what's happening today? Forget tillers, anyone can buy land now. Those who've never held a plow can purchase land. And, we're tolerating this," he said. "Who did that? It was those with vested interests who are against social change," he said. </p><p>In the 75-member Legislative Council, Congress holds 35 seats, three short of a simple majority. </p><p>In 2020, the BJP government amended the Karnataka Land Reforms Act and omitted Sections 79 A, B and C, thereby allowing even non-agriculturists to purchase and own farm lands. </p><p>Section 79A barred a person (or a family) with an annual non-agricultural income of Rs 25 lakh from acquiring agricultural land. Section 79B specified that only a person cultivating land personally could hold agricultural land. Section 79C prescribed penalties for falsely claiming eligibility to hold agricultural land. </p><p>The then BJP government argued that the provisions had outlived their utility and were leading to corruption. </p><p>As Leader of the Opposition, Siddaramaiah had described the move as “a scam bigger than illegal mining” and claimed that farm lands worth Rs 50,000 crore would be lost.</p><p>Earlier this year, Siddaramaiah had assured farmers that the Karnataka Land Reforms Act would amended as what the BJP had done was "anti-farmer". </p><p>Siddaramaiah is expected to meet resistance from his party colleagues, most of whom are in favour of keeping agricultural landholdings liberalised.</p>