Sugarcane farmers resolve to ‘defeat Congress’ in Assembly elections

The Karnataka Sugarcane Cultivators’ Association has resolved to support Janata Dal (Secular) candidates in Chamundeshwari and T. Narsipur constituencies in order to defeat the Congress nominees.

While Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is contesting from Chamundeshwari, Public Works Minister H.C. Mahadevappa is seeking re-election from T. Narsipur.

Association leader Kurubur Shanthakumar said this was resolved at a farmers’ meeting held recently, where the members were urged to vote only in favour of candidates who espoused their cause.

Though the farmers of Varuna constituency voted for Mr. Siddaramaiah in 2013 to put him on his way to becoming Chief Minister, he turned his back on them and has left the farmers angry, Mr. Shanthakumar said.

“It is the same with Mr. Mahadevappa who is interested only in concrete works and did not bother about farmers’ issue,” said an association member who alleged that when there was sufficient water in the reservoirs last year, the Congress government forbade farmers from taking up cultivation on the grounds that priority was for drinking water, thus aggravating their financial distress.

The members said that farmers have been reduced to penury under the Congress and the Chief Minister had “fled” from Varuna.

“We are particularly keen to inflict defeats on Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Mahadevappa as both have turned out to be anti-farmer,” said Mr. Shanthakumar. He said the association was not campaigning for any political party but the members have been instructed to vote only for those who empathise with them and are supportive of their charter of demands, which includes doubling of procurement price and loan waiver.

Protest

Scores of farmers under the banner of the association staged a demonstration here on Thursday over the authorities denying them permission to take out a motorcycle rally.

The objective of the rally was to unite farmers against the Congress which, the association perceives, to be against their collective interests and has failed to uphold their welfare.

The protesters also condemned the “double standards” of the police for granting permission to film stars to take out an awareness campaign earlier. “While film stars are given permission, farmers are not. Such double standards from the police is deplorable,” said Mr. Shanthakumar.

The protesters later assembled in front of Basaveshwara Circle near Gun House and raised slogans against the authorities.