Farmers Take To Streets Across Kittur Karnataka Demanding Better Sugarcane Prices
Though the farmers had called for a Karnataka bundh on Saturday, it was mostly restricted to protests and dharnas: Reports
BELAGAVI: Farmers took to the streets across various districts of Kittur Karnataka region on Saturday, blocking highways, burning tyres and staging demonstrations demanding better prices for sugarcane. Protests were particularly widespread in Belagavi district, while farmers also held demonstrations in Haveri, Vijayapura, Dharwad and Gadag.
The agitation disrupted traffic at several areas and forced the closure of shops and business establishments in some places.
Though the farmers had called for a Karnataka bundh on Saturday, it was mostly restricted to protests and dharnas.
The farmers are demanding Rs 5,500 per tonne of sugarcane, an increase in the MSP of sugar to Rs 60 per kg and implementation of the MS Swaminathan Commission recommendations.
Police personnel were deployed at the Belagavi Central Bus Stand and major protest locations to prevent untoward incidents.
Belagavi district, one of the major sugarcane-growing regions of the state, witnessed protests in several towns and villages. Farmers blocked roads at various places like Hirebagewadi, Hattargi, Bavana Saundatti, Yadrav and Raibag, setting tyres on fire at some places and disrupting vehicle movement.
In Kagwad taluk, the bandh affected traffic between Karnataka and Maharashtra. Farmers blocked the road connecting Kagwad with Miraj in Maharashtra. Shops remained closed in many places.
In Haveri, the bandh received a partial response, but protests led to tense scenes at several places. Farmers went around the town requesting traders to close their establishments.
At the bus stand, an argument broke out between protesters and a woman selling bananas. Questioning the move to shut down small businesses, she asked why people who depended on daily earnings should suffer because of demands that had to be addressed by the government.
The situation turned tense at the rural bus stand when some protesters allegedly removed bakery products and packets of sunflower seeds from a shop and threw them onto the road. Police intervened to prevent further trouble.
The protestors blocked several roads.
Essential services, including hospitals, pharmacies, milk supply and ambulances, remained unaffected.
In Vijayapura district, farmers blocked highways and roads at several places. At Sangapur village in Babaleshwar taluk, protesters surrounded Minister MB Patil and raised their demands. Muddebihal town witnessed a shutdown, with farmers burning tyres and staging demonstrations.
In Dharwad, farmers staged a protest at Jubilee Circle in support of the bandh.
The response was largely symbolic in Gadag, where members of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene staged a demonstration at Mulgund Naka. The protesters briefly blocked the road and demanded immediate action on sugarcane prices.
Farmers warned that the agitation would be intensified if the Centre and state government failed to address their demands.