A group of farmers from Navalgund and Hubballi taluks stopped BJP State president Pralhad Joshi here on Thursday and asked him what his party was doing to resolve the long-pending Kalasa-Banduri Nala project.
As soon as Mr. Joshi came out after addressing a press conference at the Hubballi Circuit House, the farmers, led by Subhashchandra Patil, Lokanath Hebasur, Viranna Malagi and others, surrounded him.
Mr. Joshi tried to explain what he and his party have done for resolving the issue and tried to leave after asking them to schedule a detailed meeting with him at a later stage. However, the farmers did not allow him to get away so easy and insisted on an immediate audience. Mr. Joshi did not relent and asked them to fix an appointment for the meeting, and this further irritated the farmers.
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As the police escorted Mr. Joshi to his car, the farmers followed him and continued to seek a meeting. Mr. Joshi refused, claiming he had “an RSS meeting to attend”.
The incensed farmers asked if the RSS had nothing to with farmers. Mr. Joshi did not wait to hear anything more and left in a hurry, following which the farmers raised slogans against the Union government and Mr. Joshi.
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Subsequently, the farmers met BJP national vice-president B.S. Yeddyurappa, who too was at the Circuit House. The former chief minister pacified them and told them that they would attend a meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on April 2 and take a united stand on the issue.