Kumaraswamy calls for state-wide protest on Dec 5

Mandya, Dec 3: JD(S) State unit president H D Kumaraswamy said, urging fulfilment of various demands, including scientific price for sugarcane, the party would stage a state-wide protest on December 5.

Addressing a press meet, here, on Tuesday, he said, he has written a letter to the State and Central governments, seeking Rs 3,000 per tonne of sugarcane.

The state-wide protest will be held to draw the attention of the government towards the problems of the farmers, he said. Kumaraswamy said, the farmers are in crisis as prices of cotton, onions, maize and other produce have crashed.

The arrears of Rs 1,724 crore towards the sugarcane supplied last year, is yet to be disbursed. The State government gets a profit of Rs 3,400 from the byproducts alone from one tonne of sugarcane. So, it should pay a good price to the farmers, he demanded.

As farming expenses are increasing, the State government should pay an additional Rs 800 along with Rs 2,200 Fair Regulated Price (FRP), fixed by the Centre. “If Haryana government is able to pay Rs 3,000, why is it not possible for Karnataka government?”, he questioned.

An opportunity should be provided to discuss these issues, during the session in Belagavi. I would speak to BJP leaders, not to stage protests and postpone the session, he said. Former MLA M Srinivas, former MLC K T Srikantegowda, ZP President Manjula Paramesh, Mysuru Sugar Company (MySugar) former chairman Siddaramegowda and others were present. Earlier, Kumaraswamy visited MySugar as the factory has stopped the crushing process for the second time this season.