Members of different organisations held protests and agitations on the occasion of the 36th farmer martyrs’ day here on Thursday.
The response was lukewarm in Hubballi for the call to observe a ‘black day’ against the alleged failure of the State and Union governments to address farmers’ issues, especially to ensure early resolution for the Mahadayi river Dispute.
A handful of protesters staged a protest at Brindavan Circle for an hour demanding the implementation of the project on Thursday. Members of farmers’ organisation, advocates of Hubballi Bar Association and some Kannada organisation members staged a rally which began from the circle and culminated at the same location. The police department had made elaborated arrangement in view of the agitation and the protesters were not allowed to stage protests at Rani Chennamma Circle.
The protesters alleged that the governments were playing politics over the issue.
They said that both the governments were equally responsible for the delay in the implementation of the project and demanded steps to solve the issue at the earliest.
The protesters said that they would decide the mode of protest after the tribunal hearing on July 25.
In Dharwad, farmers from different villages turned out for a rally organised by the Akhand Karnataka Raitha Sangha headed by the former Union Minister Babagouda Patil. The rally has passed a resolution demanding waiver of loans of all farmers, considering the agrarian crisis, issuing new credit at 1 per cent interest rate, round the clock power supply for the agriculture pump set and others.