Martyrs' Day: Farmers in Karnataka burn effigies of Narendra Modi

Hubballi: A Martyrs' Day tribute to two farmers killed in police firing on July 21 1980 to quell a protest against the betterment levy imposed by the government, turned violent on Thursday with farmers setting fire to effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for their failure to resolve the Mahadayi water dispute.

There was high drama in Nargund when farmers stopped Navalgund MLA, N H Konareddy from garlanding the busts of the two farmers, who paid with their lives during the 1980 stir. Other politicians too were stopped from entering the venue with farmers condemning the “anti-farmer policies of the Centre and the state.”

“The agriculture sector is in crisis due to extensive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. To make things worse, the successive droughts have turned 30 per cent of agricultural land barren," said farmer leader K.S. Puttannaiah.

The farmer leaders urged the Centre to amend the National Water Policy to resolve inter-state water disputes and prevent delays by tribunals set up to adjudicate them. They sought compensation for distressed farmers on the lines of relief given by the pay commission to government employees.