Cong leaders detained after trying to lay siege to Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru

Senior Congress leadersSiddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar were detained along withscores of others when they attempted to proceed to Raj Bhavanto lay siege to it on Wednesday protesting the contentiousfarm laws of the Centre.

Several congress workers and farmers from across thestate descended on the city following a call given the stateunit of the national party to lay siege to Raj Bhavan inprotest against the new agri laws and condemn the hike in fuelprices.

Raising slogans, holding the party flag, banners andposters, the protesters took out a march from Freedom Park tothe Governor's official residence, but were stopped on the wayby police.

Speaking to reporters from inside a police vehicle inwhich he was taken away from the protest site, Siddaramaiahsaid, ''The Yediyurappa government and the police are trying todisrupt the peaceful protests, which I strongly condemn.'' He hit out at the BJP saying the saffron party never hadfaith in the democratic setup.

Elaborate security arrangements were made in view of theanti-farmers law protests and roads barricaded.

Commuters faced a harrowing time due to traffic snarlscaused by agitations at various places.

Earlier in the day, Congress state chief D K Shivakumaraccused the state government of stopping the protesters fromreaching the state capital.

''I have been receiving calls saying the police have beenstopping farmers and Congress workers since last night,''Shivakumar alleged in a video message.

He appealed to those who were prevented from proceedingto the city, to hold protest by blocking the highways.

''Reach the Bengaluru Railway station and we all shall goand lay siege to the Raj Bhavan,'' he added.

Meanwhile, the BJP ridiculed the protests and allegedthat the Congress, which had been responsible for the farmers'suicide throughout its regime, was staging a drama by opposingthe pro-farmer laws introduced by the Centre.

''Farmer suicides would not have escalated if you had beenpro-farmer, isn't it?'' the saffron party asked in a tweet.