BENGALURU: On a day when protesting sugarcane growers tried to barge into Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, in a strong reaction, described them as ‘goondas’ and accused them of defaming the entire farming community.
Driving trucks with sugarcane, a group of farmers on Sunday morning tried to ‘gatecrash’ into Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, the legislature complex in Belagavi, protesting against Kumaraswamy’s reported cancellation of his visit to meet the farmers there on Monday and instead asking them to come to Bengaluru.
Farmers in Belagavi have been protesting for the last few days demanding clearance of their pending arrears by sugar factories for the cane supplied and announcement of purchase price for sugarcane.
In his bid to defend his five-and-a-half-month-old government, Kumaraswamy ended up not just criticising protesting farmers of Belagavi for their political choices but also deemed them anti-social elements. Kumaraswamy said that the protesters weren’t genuine farmers and he won’t tolerate such behaviour.
Kumaraswamy’s father and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and brother PWD minister H D Revanna naturally backed him.
“My farmers are peace-loving and have great respect towards elected representatives. But the protesters are attempting to break the gates of Suvarna Soudha. They are not farmers but goondas who are disrespecting farmers. My government wants to give benefits to farmers. Should I not take action when you are trying to break Suvarna Soudha?” Kumaraswamy said during his address at Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) in Bengaluru. He even took offence to farmers protesting against his government and chided them for their political choices.
“A woman who was protesting said I wasn’t worthy of becoming CM because sugar mill owners haven’t paid farmers in four years. I have been chief minister for just five months now. These protesters voted in favour of sugar factory owners in the election and have suddenly woken up to criticise me for non-payment. Where were they all these years?” Kumaraswamy asked, making a jibe like he did earlier over protests against his government by farmers of Koppal.
Gowda who was asked for his opinion on Kumaraswamy’s jibe chose to back his son. “Has Kumaraswamy ordered golibaar (firing)? I know administration well and I don’t have to learn it from you,” Gowda said reiterating that he was well equipped to solve problems.
Gowda’s ‘golibaar’ reference was a potshot at BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa under whose chief ministership a farmer was shot dead in police firing during a protest in Haveri district.
Kumaraswamy’s brother and cabinet colleague Revanna also chose to back him. “Sugar factories are in a bad state across the country. The Union government has to step in and provide support price to farmers. Kumaraswamy can’t be held responsible for everything. Does he have a (note) printing machine?” Revanna asked.