Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, who was visiting flood-hit areas in Belagavi, was met by irate farmers protesting against the delay in distribution of flood relief by both central and State governments. They were taken into custody when they tried to block the pilot vehicles in the Chief Minister’s cavalcade. They were released later.
This was hours before the Centre announced an advance release of ₹1,200 crore for flood relief from NDRF.
Jayashree Gurannanavar, one of the farmers’ leaders, told reporters that the Chief Minister has been non-committal about flood relief. “We had made some simple demands like increasing the quantum of crop loss compensation, giving houses to all those who lost homes, distributing seed kits to farmers for the next season, providing assistance for top soil reclamation, loan waiver, and assistance to buy milch animals like buffaloes and cows. But the Chief Minister kept saying that he would provide all possible assistance, without referring to any of our demands in concrete terms. We resorted to the strike as we were desperate,” she said.
Disqualified MLA Srimanth Patil also faced the wrath of farmers when he came to participate in the programme in Daroor village at Athani. Farmers at the venue asked him why he had come to the government programme when he had been away from the constituency all through the floods. They asked him to go back. But he stayed and took part in the programme, where the Chief Minister distributed relief cheques and work orders to build houses for the poor.
The police said the protesters had met Mr. Yediyurappa on two days but were not satisfied. “They were moved as they were trying to block the road. They were let off after a warning,” a senior officer said.
