Mysuru: “The statement made by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is condemnable and he must apologise for it”, said farmer leader and President of Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers Association Kurbur Shanthakumar here on Monday, November 19.
Addressing a press meet, Shanthakumar said, “There is no need for discrimination between South and North Karnataka, due to which the problems will only increase.”
“The maximum number of sugarcane growers are in Belagavi but the officials responsible for negotiation are acting like slaves of politicians”, he added.
He said, “Till date, the sugarcane prices have not been given to the farmers in North Karnataka. Factory owners are keeping the money with them and troubling the sugarcane growers.”
Shanthakumar warned the state government and said, “Do not crush the farmers by using your power to arrest them and impose dictatorial rule. If done so, farmers will lose their cool and the protest will be worse.”
“The farmers do not want the support of any political parties. They are holding the protest voluntarily and not with any expectation from the political fraternity”, he added.
Shanthakumar demanded an apology from Kumaraswamy for reacting to a woman farmer’s plea for help stating, “Where were you sleeping for the past four years?”
