In a major setback to the JD(S)-Congress coalition Government in Karnataka led by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, hundreds of farmers protested against the Government demanding full farm loan waiver. The agitating farmers tried to throng into the seat of power Vidhanasoudha on Monday defying the prohibitory orders where the Budget Session of the Assembly is on. Police took them to custody and later released them.
The agitating farmers were demanding full loan waiver against the announcement made by Kumaraswamy in his maiden Budget that a sum of rupees two lakh of farm(crop loan) loan till 2017 will be waived off. Kumaraswamy who also holds the finance portfolio has announced rupees 34000 farm loans waver as part of his party’s election commitment to the farmers.
The farmers, who had assembled at Freedom Park after taking out a massive rally from Mourya Cirlce, tried to march towards Vidhana Soudha when they were taken into preventive custody.
Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene leader Kodihalli Chandrasekhar, addressing the farmers who had come from all parts of the State, alleged that Rs 34,000 Crore loan waiver announced in the Budget by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who also holds Finance portfolio, is only a eye washer and he has failed to keep up his election promise of waiving off all the loans of the farmers within 24 hours of coming to power.
The farmers alleged that the Chief Minister failed to meet their leaders though invited them for talks.
The agitators sat on the middle of the road obstructing vehicle traffic on the busy road. Police had tough time in handling the agitators as they tried to march removing the barricades put up.
Chandrasekhar condemning the Chief Minister announced that the agitation will be intensified from tomorrow and future course of agitation will be decided in a meeting to be held in the evening.
In Belagavi, thousands of farmers staged protest demanding hundred per cent farmers Loan waive without any conditions.
Earlier, farmers assembled in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office and staged protest for more than one hour.
The agitators were also demanding fulfillment of their long pending demands including building Kalasa-Banduri Nala and payment of dues by Sugar Mills to sugar cane growers.
Meanwhile reports confirmed that three farmers have committed suicide due to distress for the past five days across Karnataka even after the announcement of the loan wavier scheme by the government.
The farmers were also demanding waiver of all farm loans to the tune of Rs 1.20 lakh crore.”The Chief Minister, who had promised to waive all the farm loans, has imposed many conditions and agreed to give relief only for the crop loan. We demand that Government write off all the farm loans and give the farmers price for their crops as recommended by Dr Swaminathan in his report,” Chandrashekhar demanded.
In the maiden Budget of the JDS-Congress coalition Government, presented in the assembly on 5 July, the Karnataka Government has earmarked Rs 34,000 crore for the farm loan waiver, a key pre-poll promise of chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.
