Bandh call put off by sugarcane farmers

Sugarcane farmers who are protesting for higher prices, have put off their plans for a Belagavi bandh.

As the protest entered the 8th day, farmers set a deadline of Saturday evening to Shivanand Patil, Sugar Minister, who met them at Gurlapur in Belagavi district on Thursday, November 6.

However, they warned of a State bandh on Sunday, if their issue was not resolved in 24 hours.

Farmers refused to travel to Bengaluru to participate in a meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday. They however, authorised Mr. Patil to speak to the Chief Minister and arrive at a remunerative price for sugarcane. Farmers are demanding ₹3,500 per tonne, apart from cutting and transport charges, while factories have agreed to pay ₹3,200.

Sri Shashikant Guru of Inchigeri Shakha Math, one of the leaders of the agitation, said that they would not participate in the meeting in Bengaluru, but would entrust this responsibility to the Minister. He vowed to continue the protest if the Minister did not announce a higher price by Saturday.

Chunappa Pujari, another leader, said that farmers associations would block four major national highways and roads on Sunday, if the government failed to convince the factories to pay higher prices.

Mr. Patil said that the power to fix Fair and Remunerative Prices was with the Union government and not the State government. But still, I will speak to Union Ministers and officers, other Ministers in Karnataka and factory owners and try to find a solution. I assure you that I will try my best to get the best deal for farmers. I may play politics on other issues, but not on the issues faced by farmers. What I do, it will be aimed at farmers’ welfare, the Minister said.

Various farmers groups are protesting in several places in Belagavi, Vijayapura, and Bagalkot districts. BJP has expressed its support to the protest. Some seers, members of the Bar Association and Karnataka Rakshana Vedike have also expressed their support.