BSY, Siddu spar on plight of sugarcane farmers

Belgaum: Minutes after farmer Vittal Bheemappa Arbavi committed suicide, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and former chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa sparred over farmers' problems even as KJP and BJP members staged a protest in the well of the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.

Soon after the House assembled in the afternoon, Siddaramaiah announced an ex gratia of Rs. 10 lakhs to the next of kin of the farmer but said it was an unwarranted and unexpected incident at a time when the government was planning to announce some compensation to farmers.

While he was recalling a Bill passed by the government during the last session, Yeddyurappa interrupted and demanded that he speak about the problems of farmers and rushed into the well of the House. BJP members followed suit resulting in disruption of the proceedings.

Upset by the protest, Siddaramaiah charged Yeddyurappa was politicizing the suicide committed by the farmer. Yeddyurappa shot back, demanding that Siddaramaiah's resignation on grounds that his government had failed to address the problems of farmers though they were on an agitation for a month.

Recalling police firing in Haveri in 2008, resulting in death of two farmers, Siddaramaiah said Yeddyurappa and BJP legislators did not have the moral right to talk about farmers and their farmers, and asked the farmer chief minister to walk out of the Assembly hall.

Yeddyurappa and BJP members then shouted slogans against the government and demanded the resignation of Siddaramaiah. Despite the din,  Siddaramaiah announced the ex gratia and a hike in minimum support price of Rs 150 per tonne of sugar cane over the price of Rs. 2500 a tonne announced earlier. This would cost the state exchequer Rs 500 crore, he added.

Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa adjourned the House for the day when opposition members continued to protest despite a slew of incentives announced by  Siddaramaiah for sugarcane farmers.