BY Vijayendra, BJP State unit president, joined sugarcane growers who’re protesting demanding increased costs for his or her crop, at Gurlapur Cross in Belagavi district of Karnataka, on November 4.
“Senior ministers are busy in energy play. They’re ready to turn into the CM. The CM, in flip, is making an attempt to guard his place. Farmers have been on the streets for 4-5 days now, however the leaders usually are not coming ahead to take heed to their woes”BY VijayendraBJP state unit president
The protesters stopped site visitors on the Daroor bridge and sat on the Nippani-Mudhol street for a number of hours, successfully closing the street. They gave a name for a bandh in Chikkodi, Athani and Mudalagi. Buses stopped plying in Chikkodi and surrounding areas. Some personal workplaces, faculties and schools have been closed in Chikkodi and Athani.
Chunappa Pujari, a farmers’ chief, demanded that opposition leaders help them and that heads of assorted mutts be a part of their protest. “We have now been protesting for 5 days now. However no minister or Congress MLA, who owns or manages sugar factories, have come to satisfy us. All of the leaders solely coming for elections of legislative our bodies or cooperative societies. We are going to now not tolerate such apathy. Farmers will train a lesson to leaders who neglect us,” he mentioned.
“Until now, solely these leaders who neither personal nor handle sugar factories have visited the protest web site or expressed help. They embody MPs Jagadish Shettar, PC Gaddigoudar and Iranna Kadadi, MLAs Duryodhan Aiholi and Siddu Savadi, and former MLA VI Patil have visited us. However different leaders, who personal sugar factories, haven’t come right here,” he mentioned.
Earlier, earlier than heading to Gurlapur, Mr. Vijayendra instructed reporters in Belagavi that he was deeply upset with alleged detached of the federal government of Karnataka to the issues of farmers. “Senior ministers are busy in energy play. They’re ready to turn into the CM. The CM, in flip, is making an attempt to guard his place. Farmers have been on the streets for 4-5 days now, however the leaders usually are not coming ahead to take heed to their woes. The State Authorities ought to be ashamed of itself,” he mentioned.
“I’m the son of former CM BS Yediyurappa, who spent his life agitating for farmers. I’ve not come right here as president of the opposition occasion, however because the son of Mr. Yediyurappa, whose coronary heart beats for farmers,” he mentioned. “Within the 2014 winter session of the State legislature in Belagavi, farmer Vithal Arabhavi misplaced his life over sugarcane. At the moment, BS Yediyurappa fought and succeeded in placing stress on the then Chief Minister and resolving the issues of sugarcane growers. Nonetheless, immediately the farmers are going through hardships, however the authorities shouldn’t be displaying any concern,” he mentioned.
“Sugarcane growers are demanding cost of ₹3,500 per tonne of sugarcane. The State Authorities ought to have introduced the value earlier than farmers got here to the streets. However they haven’t finished so, as theirs is an anti-farmer authorities. Since they can’t be trusted, we now have stepped in to help the farmers,” Mr. Vijayendra mentioned.
In accordance with officers figures, sugar factories in Karnataka grind six million tonnes of sugarcane yearly. This brings in ₹55,000 crore in tax to the federal government of Karnataka.
“Even when farmers have been struggling because of heavy rains, the in-charge ministers of the respective districts, the income minister and the agriculture minister didn’t tour north Karnataka. The federal government has no concern for farmers. That’s the reason immediately the farmers are once more taking to the streets to struggle for higher value for sugarcane,” he alleged.
“ who owns many of the sugar factories in Karnataka. The federal government ought to speak to the sugar manufacturing unit homeowners to finish the impasse,” he mentioned.
Responding to B. Sriramulu’s declare {that a} new CM would attend the winter session in Belagavi, Mr. Vijayendra mentioned that it was nothing new as Congress MLAs themselves are hinting at it. “Everybody is aware of that there’s risk of a change of management after the Bihar elections,” he mentioned.
Printed – November 04, 2025 01:34 pm IST