Bengaluru: Veteran Kannada actor Leelavathi and her son, Vinod Raj, were arrested and later released by the city police as they tried to march with protesting farmers towards the hotel where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was put up for the BJP national executive in the city.

The farmers, led by Kodihalli Chandrashekar, had been on an indefinite fast for three days protesting against the ordinance passed by the Union government on the Land Bill Nine farmers have reported ill and are being treated at Bowring Hospital.

Ms. Leelavathi said that she had chosen to be a farmer and was appalled at the ordinance, which she termed “anti-farmer”, which prompted her to support the farmer’s agitation.

Mr. Vinod Raj said that in their village — Soladevanahalli, the Forest Department had been trying to evict farmers claiming the land belonged to it.

“We have been seeing the plight of the farmers for possession of their land; their lifeline has been threatened. So we have come to the streets to protest the new ordinance,” he said.

Along with them, hundreds of farmers were arrested and later released. Mr. Chandrashekar was critical that Mr. Modi did not meet any farmer delegation from the State.

(Agencies)