BJP leader B.Y. Vijayendra joins farmers demanding higher price for sugarcane in Belagavi district of Karnataka

B. Y. Vijayendra, BJP State unit president, joined sugarcane growers who are protesting demanding higher prices for their crop, at Gurlapur Cross in Belagavi district of Karnataka, on November 4.

The protesters stopped traffic on the Daroor bridge and sat on the Nippani-Mudhol road for a few hours, effectively closing the road. They gave a call for a bandh in Chikkodi, Athani and Mudalagi. Buses stopped plying in Chikkodi and surrounding areas. Some private offices, schools and colleges were closed in Chikkodi and Athani.

Chunappa Pujari, a farmers’ leader, demanded that opposition leaders support them and that heads of various mutts join their protest. “We have been protesting for five days now. But no minister or Congress MLA, who owns or manages sugar factories, have come to meet us. All the leaders only coming for elections of legislative bodies or cooperative societies. We will no longer tolerate such apathy. Farmers will teach a lesson to leaders who neglect us,” he said.

“Till now, only those leaders who neither own nor manage sugar factories have visited the protest site or expressed support. They include MPs Jagadish Shettar, P. C. Gaddigoudar and Iranna Kadadi, MLAs Duryodhan Aiholi and Siddu Savadi, and former MLA V. I. Patil have visited us. But other leaders, who own sugar factories, have not come here,” he said.

Earlier, before heading to Gurlapur, Mr. Vijayendra told reporters in Belagavi that he was deeply upset with alleged indifferent of the government of Karnataka to the problems of farmers. “Senior ministers are busy in power play. They are waiting to become the CM. The CM, in turn, is trying to protect his position. Farmers have been on the streets for 4-5 days now, but the leaders are not coming forward to listen to their woes. The State Government should be ashamed of itself,” he said.

“I am the son of former CM B. S. Yediyurappa, who spent his life agitating for farmers. I have not come here as president of the opposition party, but as the son of Mr. Yediyurappa, whose heart beats for farmers,” he said. “In the 2014 winter session of the State legislature in Belagavi, farmer Vithal Arabhavi lost his life over sugarcane. At that time, B.S. Yediyurappa fought and succeeded in putting pressure on the then Chief Minister and resolving the problems of sugarcane growers. However, today the farmers are facing hardships, but the government is not showing any concern,” he said.

“Sugarcane growers are demanding payment of ₹3,500 per tonne of sugarcane. The State Government should have announced the price before farmers came to the streets. But they have not done so, as theirs is an anti-farmer government. Since they can not be trusted, we have stepped in to support the farmers,” Mr. Vijayendra said.

According to officials figures, sugar factories in Karnataka grind six million tonnes of sugarcane annually. This brings in ₹55,000 crore in tax to the government of Karnataka.

“Even when farmers were suffering due to heavy rains, the in-charge ministers of the respective districts, the revenue minister and the agriculture minister did not tour north Karnataka. The government has no concern for farmers. That is why today the farmers are again taking to the streets to fight for better price for sugarcane,” he alleged.

“You know who owns most of the sugar factories in Karnataka. The government should talk to the sugar factory owners to end the deadlock,” he said.

Responding to B. Sriramulu’s claim that a new CM would attend the winter session in Belagavi, Mr. Vijayendra said that it was nothing new as Congress MLAs themselves are hinting at it. “Everyone knows that there is possibility of a change of leadership after the Bihar elections,” he said.