Aland MLA BR Patil asked Rahul Gandhi to restore Sections 79A, 79B and 79C of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act. These rules were repealed in 2020. Patil said that 19.92 lakh acres of agricultural land got sold between 2021 and August 2026, which could hurt food security for many small farmers.
BENGALURU: Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman and Aland MLA BR Patil has urged senior Congress leader and LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to intervene and ensure the restoration of Sections 79A, 79B and 79C of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, which were repealed by the previous BJP government in 2020.
In a memorandum sent to Rahul, Patil said that the Congress had promised in its 2023 Assembly election manifesto to repeal the "anti-farmer laws" enacted by the BJP government and restore safeguards under the Land Reforms Act.
Patil said an official reply from the State Revenue Department in the Assembly had recently confirmed that there was currently no proposal before the government to reinstate the three provisions. He expressed concern over the transfer of agricultural land after the restrictions were removed, claiming that nearly 19.92 lakh acres of agricultural land had been sold and transferred in Karnataka between 2021 and August 2026. He claimed that North Karnataka accounted for around 60% of the agricultural land sales during the period.
Patil said the removal of the restrictions could accelerate the loss of land ownership among small and marginal farmers, particularly those who are forced to sell their holdings due to debt and agrarian distress.
He also warned that large-scale land transfers and conversion for non-agricultural purposes could have implications for Karnataka's long-term food security.