Protests mar first day of Belagavi assembly session

Assembly is adjourned twice

The first day of the Karnataka Legislature's winter session at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Tuesday was tumultuous, with disruptions and protests by the BJP legislators in the House and sugarcane farmers' protest outside the House.

Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa adjourned the House twice after BJP MLAs demanded an adjournment motion to discuss the problems faced by the farmers, including the sugarcane price issue.

Meanwhile, outside the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, the police arrested leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar, BJP state president and MP Prahlad Joshi, B S Yeddyurappa, K S Eshwarappam farmers' leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar and several others as they tried to block the National Highway.

Over 20,000 farmers, responding to the call by the BJP, representing the Sugarcane Growers Association and Kodihalli Chandrashekhar's faction of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha had gathered in front of the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha.

Chief Minister Siddaramiah's assurance to a delegation of farmers that he would arrange to get Rs 2,200 per tonne paid by the factories immediately and the remaining Rs 200 per tonne in two installments did not cut ice with the protesters.

The farmers were demanding implementation of high court's order to sugar factories to pay Rs 2,500 per tonne of sugarcane and the BJP was supporting the cause. The BJP was also demanding the removal of 'tainted' ministers in Siddaramaiah's cabinet.

Like last year where the then sugar minister Prakash Hukkeri had to face the brunt of the sugarcane farmers' ire, this year it was the turn of sugar minister Mahadev Prasad to face the protesters' ire. They gheraoed the minister who had come to listen to their demands.

The police had a tough time rescuing him and escorting him to the Vidhana Soudha.

Shantkumar alleged that the government was dilly dallying over the issue of implementing the court order and was playing into the hands of the sugar lobby.

Former Chief Minister and Opposition Leader Jagadish Shettar sought an adjournment motion and criticised the government for failing to keep its promise on paying sugarcane growers that was made on the floor of the House in the last winter session.

The government had come under intense pressure to increase the State Advised Price (SAP) after a protesting sugarcane farmer Vithal committed suicide in front of the state secretariat during last winter session at Belagavi.

Sugarcane growers, who had rejected the price of Rs 2,500 a tonne fixed by the government, had staged protests demanding that it be raised to Rs 3,500 per tonne.

The government is neglecting farmers' problems even as they are on the streets, Shettar alleged.

Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa said, he would not allow an adjournment motion, but the issue could be discussed under a different rule. Not satisfied with Thimmappa's promise, BJP members, who were staging a protest in the well of the House raised slogans against the government.

Thereafter, Thimmappa adjourned the proceedings till 3 PM. Earlier, Thimmappa had adjourned the House for 10 minutes after he promised the members he would take up the issue after the Question Hour.

Intervening on the matter, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, the intention of the opposition is "nefarious" and aimed is at derailing the democratic norms by demanding an adjournment motion before the Question Hour.

Objecting to Siddaramaiah's remarks, the BJP raised slogans which prompted Thimmappa to adjourn the House for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, the BJP leaders and party workers staged a protest outside the Suvarna Soudha, the state secretariat building here, to highlight the government's 'failure' in protecting the interests of farmers. The protest was led by BJP's National Vice-President and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

BJP is also seeking the resignation of four ministers - H S Mahadeva Prasad, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Qamarul Islam and K J George for the alleged cases of land grabs and failure of the Siddaramaiah government in preventing sexual assaults on women and children.