Mysuru, Karnataka : The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) has condemned the burning of sugarcane-laden tractors outside a sugar factory in Sameerwadi, Bagalkot district, and said the incident was a result of the government’s failure to respond to farmers’ ongoing agitation, reports The Hindu.
In a statement, KRRS leader Badagalapura Nagendra said the act was unacceptable regardless of who was behind it. He added that farmers had been staging a peaceful protest for 15 days, demanding payment of pending sugarcane dues and a fair price. Farmers in Mudhol, Haveri and Bidar had also continued their demonstrations against the price announced by the government on November 8.
Nagendra said the government had shown indifference by not calling farmers and factory managements from the affected districts for talks. This lack of action, he said, created the conditions that led to the incident.
The KRRS urged farmers to continue their protest peacefully, remain watchful and prevent any attempts to cause trouble.
Nagendra said the leaders at the forefront of the Mudhol protest were responsible, aware of the issues and committed to non-violence. Based on available information, he said it was unlikely that the protestors themselves were behind the torching of the tractor.
