After facing the embarrassment over the issue of diamond studded Rs 70 lakh wrist watch, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had to face the wrath of the angry farmers on Thursday who brought Bengaluru to a grinding halt.
Members of many farmers’ association which include Karnataka Rajya Ryota Sangha (KRRS), Hasiru Sene, Sugarcane farmers association have stormed Bengaluru in a large number coming from three districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapura and Bengaluru rural and sieged north Bengaluru which connects the Kempegowda International Airport for hours.
The farmers wanted to lay siege to the Vidhanasoudha even as the session was in progress in protest against the anti farmers attitude of the Government. The farmer’s leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar demanded a permanent irrigation to the parched dry districts and scientific price to their crop. He blamed successive Government of failing in implementing pending irrigation projects.
Even though the Police have blocked the entry of tractors and lorries into the city to stop the protesters who wanted to raise their issues, they barged in and brought many tractors and blocked the elevated road to the airport.
However the police could not prevent the farmers from coming almost near the Chief Minister’s official residence. A lathicharge enraged the farmers and in the scuffle the farmers left their tractors and other vehicles which led to a massive roadblock putting in convenience to passengers travelling to the airport.
The farmers started their protest from Devanahalli around 45 kms from the city and entered till they were arrested near Chief Minister’s official residence. Many injured farmers have been admitted to hospital. The police also detained hundreds of farmers and their leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar.
The farmers blamed Government for trying to spend huge money on impractical Yettinahole Irrigation Project that would divert water from the Netravathi River towards the parched districts.
The opposition BJP found this an opportunity and leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar raised the issue in the ongoing session and demanded Government to send a minister to assuage the hurt feeling of the farmers.
Karnataka is reeling under severe drought with an estimated crop loss in 70 per cent of sown area. The ruling Congress Government has sought a Central aid of Rs 1,400 crore. The farming crisis has affected the State very badly with more than 1000 farmers taking extreme steps in 2015 adding to the woes of Siddaramaiah. 12 districts in North Karnataka have been declared drought-hit, and farmers’ groups also demanded release of dues amounting to over Rs 1,000 crore that sugar industries have defaulted on paying to sugarcane farmers.