Sugarcane farmers from across the State staged protests here on Monday seeking loan waiver, higher minimum purchase price and relief for losses incurred due to drought in 17 districts, which have been declared drought-hit.
Farmers from Ramanagara, Mandya, Mysuru, Kodagu, Kolar, Gadag, Tumukuru, Shivamogga, Hassan, Haveri, Hubballi, Belagavi and Bagalkot came to Bengaluru to protest against the anti-farmers policies of the JD(S)-Congress Government in the State.
"Farmers from all over the state have come to force the State Government meet our demands on loan waiver, higher price for sugarcane and compensation for kharif crop loss due to drought this year," Karnataka State Farmers Association President Chamaraj Patil told reporters .
"Though Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy announced farm loan waiver in June, the banks have not written off a rupee even after five months. Except for making announcements and giving assurances, nothing has happened. "We are also unable to take fresh credit as old loans have not been waived off yet," Patil added.
Bengaluru City Police stopped hundreds of agitators from marching towards the Vidhana Soudha from Freedom Park as prohibitory orders were in place.
The Sugarcane farmers are demanding payment of Rs 1,500 crore dues from state-run and private sugar mills for fiscal 2017-18; Rs 3,000 per tonne higher minimum support price (MSP) for sugarcane from Rs 2,500 per tonne fixed last year; fresh loans from cooperative and state-run banks for the rabi crop, supply of seeds and fertilisers.
Karnataka is the third largest sugarcane producer after Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, which had harvested 32 million tonne in 2017-18. The drought has affected 15-lakh hectares of agricultural and horticultural crops in 17 districts across the state, with an estimated loss of Rs 8,000 crore.
Meanwhile Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had created a controversy by calling farmers goondas and also allegedly abused a woman farmer who was protesting in Belagavi. This has severely hit the pro farmer image of the coalition Government led by Kumaraswamy and also angered the coalition partner the Congress.After Jayashree Gurannavar, a woman farmer who was leading the agitation, called Kumaraswamy “a good for nothing CM”, the CM hit back calling them “goondas in the guise of farmers”. After his statement farmers were angry and intensified their agitation across the State.
Later the farmers’ anger forced Kumaraswamy to retract saying that his statement was misinterpreted.
“My intention was not to hurt anyone. My statement has been misinterpreted by the media. I apologise if the farmers are hurt,” Kumaraswamy said. Coalition partner Congress has criticised Kumaraswamy for making such a statement against the farmers. Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said that he would apologise to the farmers for the CM’s angry statement. “I don’t know in what context he has used the word ‘goondas’. But he should not have said that. The Congress party has always been with the farmers and I personally apologise to them,” Parameshwara said.
The BJP was quick to demand an apology from chief minister for his remarks on the farmer. Yeddyurappa said “The Gowdas call themselves a family of humble farmers. But their attitude is exactly the opposite. How could a CM call farmers “goondas”? he demanded a clarification from former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
However JDS chief H D Deve Gowda has blamed a section of the media for Sunday’s incident in Belgaum. Meanwhile Chief Minister has called for a meeting of the agitating farmers on Tuesday to resolve the issue. "I appeal to the farmers to be patient as the Government is committed to find solutions to their problems. I held meetings with officials and stakeholders on demands of sugarcane growers. I have directed the district deputy commissioners to resolve their issues," said the statement citing the Chief Minister. Though debt waiver was not a solution to the farmers' woes, Kumaraswamy said the State Government was working hard to waive off farm loans taken from cooperative, scheduled and State-run banks. "I hope the waiver will enable the farmers to seek fresh loans for the next crop. The loan waiver will begin soon as the process is at the final stage," said the Chief Minister.
Claiming that the Janata Dal (Secular)-Congress coalition Government was pro-farmer, Kumaraswamy said a permanent solution was being worked out to ensure that farmers would not have to protest or resort to an agitation.
"I have been always on the side of farmers and don't have bias against those from the northern or southern regions of the State.
“All are equal and same for me. As the loan waiver amount is about Rs 48,000 crore, we need time and workforce to verify each account. I want farmers to be patient and not be desperate," said the Chief Minister.