Miscreants set fire to sugarcane tractors in Bagalkot amid farmers’ protest

Miscreants set fire to sugarcane-laden tractors and trolleys parked on the campus of the Godavari Bio Refineries Sugar Factory at Sameerwadi in Bagalkot district on Thursday. The police estimate that at least 15 of the 100 tractors and bikes were completely or partially burnt in the incident.

The incident occurred when a group of around 300 sugarcane growers were on protest outside the factory gates. They wanted to lay siege to the factory and demand a base price of ₹3,500 per tonne. Members of various farmers’ associations have been on strike for nearly two weeks now, demanding ₹3,500 per tonne. They have rejected the price of ₹3,300 announced by the government. Sameerwadi is around 20 km from Mudhol.

Subhash Sirbur, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha leader, told reporters at Sameerwadi that a gang of miscreants came from inside the factory and set fire to the vehicles. He denied that farmers were involved in the offence.

“All the protesting farmers were outside the factory gates. When we marched towards the factory, the police stopped us. How could we set fire to vehicles in front of the factory? It was a group of miscreants who set the vehicles on fire, as they wanted to bring a bad name to us,” he claimed.

He alleged that the factory management wanted to falsely implicate the farmers. An email sent to the factory management seeking a reaction to the allegation is yet to receive a response.

Shivanand Patil, Sugar Minister, said, “A detailed inquiry will reveal who was responsible. The Bagalkot Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police have been holding a series of meetings with farmers for nearly 10 days now. But they remained adamant at ₹3,500 per tonne in all factories irrespective of sugar recovery percentages and payment in one instalment. We will try to resolve the matter by talking to protesters again,’’ he said.

He said that as many as 13 factories in Bagalkot and surrounding areas had given him documents to prove that they were paying between ₹3,400 to ₹3,600 per tonne, above the price of ₹3,300 announced by the Chief Minister after a recent meeting. Mr Patil reiterated that that the Union government fixed the Fair and Remunerative Price and not the State government.

District in-charge Minister R.B. Thimmapur said he had called a meeting of farmers and factory owners on Thursday, but the violence occured before they could conclude the meeting.