Protesting against the alleged anti-farmer policies of the Union and the State governments, members of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) staged a day-long hunger strike in Mangalore on Thursday.
The protest was a part of the Statewide rally to demand land rights for farmers, complete implementation of housing schemes, among others.
Addressing the gathered, district unit president of the Sangha K.R. Shriyan said, “Lakhs of farmers, who for decades have been cultivating or living on government land, have submitted applications to the government for title deeds, but nothing has been done about it.”
He said due to this apathy the farmers and landless labourers had been deprived of ration cards, free electricity and other schemes for those living below poverty line. Mr. Sriyan claimed the government had not provided land or initiated a housing scheme in over 15 years for landless labourers.
The other issues that were raised during the protest were the fixing of support price as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee, opening up of grain purchase centres before the harvesting season, ensuring forest rights and land titles to those from the Scheduled Tribe category.
