The farmers, who took out the protest rally from the Purasiddeshwara temple on tractors and bikes, raised slogans against the State Government’s “anti-farmer policies”. Former minister Basavaraj Shivanna, organic agriculture expert Nigalingappa Baseganni and leader Jagadish Baseganni declared that the farmers have decided to give up their lives but not their lands.
“We have been dependent on agriculture for so many years and now if you decide to snatch our lands for setting up an industry, we will all end up on the streets,” they said. The farmers also pointed that the lands in Agadi and Budaghatti were fertile plains and never failed to produce an yeild even during years of failed monsoon.
The protestors threatened to go on a violent struggle if their land is acquired by force.
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