JOIN USThe BJP Raitha Morcha activists on Tuesday took out a rally here to protest against the alleged failure of the State government to protect the interests of the farming community.
The protesters, who wanted to picket Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s residence ‘Cauvery’, did not succeed in their attempt.
The police stopped them near the JD(S) office, off Race Course Road, and took the leaders into preventive custody. The leaders included the party’s national vice president B S Yeddyurappa, MP Shobha Karandlaje, former minister Govind Karjol and Raitha Morcha president Araga Jnanendra. They were, however, released later.
The procession began at the Bannappa Park and passed through Khoday’s Circle. The protesters shouted slogans against the chief minister for his “failure” in fulfilling the various demands of the farmers.
Addressing his party’s workers at a procession, Yeddyurappa said that the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government was in “deep slumber”. Scores of farmers have been affected by floods and drought, and have lost their valuables, he said. The government is yet to announce compensation for them, he added.
He said that Vithal Arabhavi, a sugar cane grower from Belagavi district, had ended his life by consuming poison during the Assembly session last November, while protesting outside the Suvarna Soudha demanding remunerative prices and payment of dues.
But the government has hardly done anything to solve the problems of sugar cane growers even after a year, he said. This being the fact, the government is holding another session in December, he charged.
“The government should announce measures for the welfare of sugarcane growers,” he demanded.
Raitha Morcha president Jnanendra alleged that the government was announcing several schemes for the poor only to stabilise its vote bank, and had failed to implement them properly.
Former minister Govind Karjol said that the Congress came to power one-and-half-year ago, but kept “meteing out injustice” to farmers.
Siddaramaiah had promised to implement measures for the farmers’ welfare during his election rallies, but has failed to convert his words into actions, he claimed.