Ballari, July 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday announced a statewide protest on July 17, demanding the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers and the scrapping of the Bidadi Township project.
The party also announced that during the upcoming Monsoon Session of the State Legislature, the BJP and Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) would jointly take on the state government over issues concerning farmers in Karnataka.
Addressing a press conference in Ballari, BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra made the announcement and said BJP MLAs, MPs, former MLAs and former MPs would stage a day-long dharna at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on July 17.
Vijayendra accused the state government of pursuing anti-poor and anti-farmer policies and said the BJP would intensify its agitation against the government.
Vijayendra alleged that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was giving greater priority to real estate interests than to farmers.
Vijayendra said farmers were protesting against the Bidadi Township project as it could lead to the acquisition of fertile agricultural land.
He alleged that the state government and the Chief Minister were responsible for creating a situation in which farmers and women had been forced to protest while carrying brooms.
Urging the Chief Minister to act in the interest of farmers, Vijayendra demanded the immediate withdrawal of cases registered against farmers and leaders of various organisations protesting against the Bidadi Township project.
He also called upon the government to end what he described as its "high-handedness" towards farmers.
Vijayendra demanded the immediate appointment of an Agriculture Minister and said the government must address the problems farmers face during the drought.
He claimed that when Shivakumar was the Minister for Water Resources, it took 24 months to repair the crest gate of the Tungabhadra reservoir, leaving farmers unable to cultivate a second crop and causing substantial losses. However, he alleged that within 24 hours of becoming Chief Minister, Shivakumar issued orders regarding the proposed Bidadi Township project.
It can be noted that the Karnataka government has registered FIRs against more than 20 farmers in connection with the violent protest that disrupted a land survey for the proposed Bidadi Township project in Mandalahalli village of Bidadi taluk on the outskirts of Bengaluru.
During the protest, women allegedly struck the officials' vehicle with brooms, while some protesters hurled stones and chased the survey team away, forcing the officials to abandon the exercise.
Vijayendra further announced that the BJP and JD-U would jointly raise issues relating to anti-farmer policies during the State Legislature session beginning on August 6.
According to Vijayendra, the opposition parties would take up matters including the Bidadi Township project, issues affecting North Karnataka, and the distress faced by farmers in the Cauvery basin.
Source: IANS
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