BJP members stall proceedings in House over farmer's suicide

Staging a dharna, BJP members today created ruckus in the Karnataka Assembly over the suicide of a sugarcane farmer as they demanded Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s resignation blaming him for the tragedy.

As the House assembled, BJP members stormed into the well and started shouting slogans against the government and demanded Siddaramaiah’s resignation for the suicide of a 60-year old farmer in front of the legislature building here.

BJP Floor Leader Jagadish Shetter blamed Siddaramaiah for the suicide yesterday, saying he could have avoided the tragedy by announcing additional minimum support price for sugarcane on day one of the winter session, on since Monday. Speaker Kagodu Thimappa adjourned the house for half an hour after his repeated requests to the members asking them to return to their seats went unheeded.

During a protest along with hundreds of others against “inadequate” minimum support price fixed by the state-run Sugarcane Control Board for the crop, the farmer committed suicide by consuming pesticide. Later speaking to reporters, BJP General Secretary and former Minister C T Ravi said the party would continue its dharna till Siddaramaiah resigns and government announces increase of Minimum Support Price by Rs 1,000.

Replying  to a query, Ravi said the government should take action against sugar mill owners belonging to whichever party for not paying the dues to sugarcane growers. “BJP is not supporting any of its leaders who are owning the sugar mill and not clearing the dues of the farmers,” he said.

JD-S Deputy Leader YSV Dutta said his party was not joining the dharna as it believes in solving the problem through negotiations.

“BJP is making efforts to gain political mileage out of the issue which is highly condemnable,” he said. In the Legislative Council too, BJP members trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans against Siddaramaiah and his government.

Opposition BJP Leader D V Sadananda Gowda said the government had failed to protect interests of the farmers by not conceding their demands. Council Chairman D H Shankarmurthy adjourned the proceedings for 15 minutes amidst the din raised by opposition members.