Kalaburagi, 22 Jan

The Samyukta Horata Karnataka organisation began an overnight sit-in-protest (dharna) Karnataka's Kalaburagi city on Thursday, demanding that the government fix a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for tur dal at Rs 12,500 per quintal.

Farmers and farmer leaders gathered in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in the district and launched the protest along with tractors and bullock carts.

Accusing the government of not listening to farmers, they also raised slogans including “Crop loss compensation must be given to farmers”.

Addressing the gathering, leader Maula Mulla M said that the Central Government should present a separate budget for agriculture, just as it earlier presented a separate Railway Budget, and focus on resolving farmers’ problems.

Noting that tur is acommercial crop in the region, he said that it still did not receive a special price. “Officials claim that a 25 per cent additional price is being given for Geographical Indication-tagged (GI) tur, but the ground reality is different. Politicians claim that they are sons of farmers, but in reality they are working for industrialists.”

Leader Sharanabasappa Mamashetti said that both the Central and State governments should separately release an incentive of Rs 1,000 each per quintal above the demanded MSP.

Leader Bhimashankar Madiyal said both the Congress and the BJP are anti-farmer parties.