Sugarcane farmers begin padayatra to Belagavi for Jail Bharo protest
Protesters are demanding a procurement price of Rs 5,500 per tonne of sugarcane as tensions rise near Hindalga Central Prison.
Sugarcane farmers began a padayatra from Gurlapur Cross to Belagavi on Monday as part of a Jail Bharo agitation. According to The Hindu, the protesters are demanding a price of Rs 5,500 per tonne of sugarcane.
The group intends to spend Monday night at Kabbur Naka and move toward Hindalga Central Prison on Tuesday morning. Farmers stated they plan to complete the remaining 90-km journey using vehicles.
Tensions rose on Monday when some farmers attempted to enter the Hindalga Jail, but police and jail authorities prevented them. The Federal reported that heated exchanges and jostling occurred as police worked to maintain law and order.
The agitation, which began two months ago, includes demands for a minimum selling price of Rs 60 per kg for sugar and a review of the central ethanol procurement policy. Farmers had previously halted protests after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar offered to mediate, but they resumed after that offer lapsed on Saturday.
Minister for Cooperation Laxman Savadi told reporters in Bengaluru on Monday that he asked Union Minister Pralhad Joshi to decide on the sugar price revision quickly. Savadi also requested sugar factories to announce a price before Tuesday to allow crushing operations to begin.
Savadi alleged that Mr. Joshi and other leaders are attempting to shift the responsibility of protecting farmer interests to the State government to avoid their own duties.