s part of a nationwide highway blocking agitation, called by the Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers’ Movements for opposing the Union government’s “indifferent attitude” towards the agrarian crisis and farmers’ suicides, the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) has planned to mobilise farmers to block national highways on Wednesday in the State for four hours.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, KRRS State president Chamarasa Malipatil said that farmers with no national highway in their native district would join the nearest agitating location. “Farmers from Raichur, Koppal and Ballari will block the national highway at Hitnal Cross near Hospete,” he added.
He attacked successive Union governments for opening the Indian market to multinational corporations to plunder the country’s rich natural resources and to destroy agriculture.
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“It is because of globalisation and liberalisation policies that agriculture is in crisis now. The terms and conditions of the World Trade Organisation have devastated the country’s farming sector and have forced farmers to commit suicides. We want the Union government to stop implementing these pro-corporate policies and restructure them so as to safeguard the interests of indigenous farmers,” he said.
He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his frequent world tours and for extending red-carpet invitations for investing in India.
“Mr. Modi is concerned more about the interests of international capitalists than that of his country’s farming community. While suicides are alarmingly rising, our Prime Minister’s foreign tours are also on the rise. Neither the Union government nor any State governments have any concerns regarding the farm crisis and farmers’ suicides,” he charged.
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Mr. Malipatil attacked both Union and Karnataka government for their “blame-game” on farm loan-waiver.
He said that while the Chief Minister pointed his fingers at the Union government by demanding loan waivers at nationalised banks, BJP’s national vice-president B.S. Yeddyurappa blamed the State government for not waiving farm loans at cooperative societies.
“Mr. Siddaramaiah must waive farm loans at cooperative societies first and then demand that the Union government follow his footsteps. Mr. Yeddyurappa must convince the Union government to waive loans at nationalised banks before playing a drama at Raitha Chaitanya Yatra and targeting the State government,” he said.
Lakshmangowda Kadagamdoddi, Basavanagowda Ballatagi, Huligeppa Jalibenchi and other farmers’ leaders were present.
Farmers from Raichur, Koppal and Ballari will block highway at Hitnal Cross near Hospete