K’taka: Sugarcane protest turns violent; 50 tractors torched

Bagalkot, Nov 13 The protest by farmers demanding a price of Rs 3,500 per tonne of sugarcane from factory owners turned violent on Thursday, with agitators torching more than 50 tractors loaded with sugarcane in Bagalkot district, Karnataka.

The incident was reported from Sanganakatti Cross near Mahalingapura town, close to Mudhol. It is estimated that thousands of tonnes of sugarcane were gutted in the fire.

The state government had fixed the price of sugarcane at Rs 3,300 per tonne after holding meetings with both farmers and factory owners.

According to preliminary reports, the agitating farmers were attempting to lay siege to the Sugar Factory located near Sydapura, near Mudhol town on the Mahalingapura–Nippani road. At one point, a group of agitators set fire to the tractors loaded with sugarcane that were lined up in front of the factory.

More than 200 tractors had been parked outside the factory. Further details regarding the incident are awaited.

The farmers of Mudhol, who had opposed the government-fixed rate of Rs 3,300 per ton of sugarcane, had been protesting for the past week.

On Thursday, they called for a complete shutdown of Mudhol town. They insisted that only the sugar factory owners should come forward for talks and firmly demanded a price of Rs 3,500 per ton of sugarcane.

Commenting on the development, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy said that when farmers in Belagavi protested, the government rushed to placate them, but it has completely failed to address the larger crisis affecting sugarcane growers across the state.

He said that the Government must abandon its opportunistic approach of “desire for rice, affection for relatives.”

The government to intervene immediately and resolve the crisis.

The Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, said that the miserable condition of the state’s sugarcane growers is a direct result of the Congress government’s negligence.

“Siddaramaiah should hold meetings with sugar mill owners and farmer leaders,” he said.

He said that the government should take the problems of sugarcane farmers seriously, adding that the government should provide appropriate compensation for the losses suffered by farmers due to today’s tragic incident.

“In this struggle of the nation’s food providers, the BJP will stand shoulder to shoulder with the farmers and extend full support,” he claimed.

--IANS

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