The 10-day winter session of the State Legislature is set to begin from Monday in Belagavi amidst political heat from both within the ruling coalition as well as outside.
The Opposition BJP is holding a rally of farmers in Belagavi on Monday to protest against what it calls the apathy of the government towards farmers’ problems.
Sugarcane farmers, who had withdrawn their protest after an assurance by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy of convincing sugar factories to pay up dues before the commencement of the session, have resumed their protest as the promise is yet to be kept.
Karnataka Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kurubur Shanthakumar has demanded that sugar mills immediately pay the total dues to the extent of ₹619 crore.
His other demands include amending the Sugar Control Act to provide for imprisonment and slapping penalty on sugarmill owners who fail to pay the arrears towards farmers.
Sensing trouble, the district administration authorities have already met the protesting sugarcane growers and assured them of organising a meeting with the Chief Minister tentatively on Monday to discuss their problems.
Mr. Shanthakumar told The Hindu that the association will take a call on whether to intensify the protest after meeting the Chief Minister.
Mr. Shanthakumar alleged that the sugarcane growers’ problems have a bearing on the present political crisis characterised by the ruling coalition’s efforts to allegedly pacify some of its legislators including a bid to prevent them from switching political loyalties.
He alleged that the list of defaulting sugarmills included those run by the families of such disgruntled legislators
The MES is also holding its convention as a parallel event to the Legislature session on Monday.
In the context of various protests, the security has been tightened in this northern city with a deployment of 6,749 police personnel including senior officers.
