BENGALURU: Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday blamed the State government for neglecting the plight of the sugarcane farmers in Mudhol, which, he said, led to the arson at a sugar factory on Wednesday.;
“The sight of tractors loaded with sugarcane burning in the yard of the Mudhol sugar factory deeply shocked me. This is a clear indication of the failure of the Congress government in the State,” he said.
The former CM said when the farmers in Belagavi protested, the government rushed to pacify them, but it completely failed to address the larger crisis affecting sugarcane growers across the State. This led to the patience of farmers in Mudhol reaching the breaking point, he said.
Kumaraswamy said instead of looking at farmers’ distress through the narrow lens of politics, the government should show magnanimity and genuine concern.
“I stand firmly with the farmers of Mudhol. I urge the State government to intervene immediately and resolve the crisis. A permanent solution must be found to ensure that such distress does not recur for sugarcane growers,” Kumaraswamy said.
State BJP president BY Vijayendra said the Congress government is responsible for the plight of the sugarcane farmers, whose demands are just and fair. He demanded that the Chief Minister immediately hold talks with farmers’ organisations and fulfill their rightful demands without delay.