Karnataka: Deve Gowda to fast for debate on farmers

BENGALURU: JD(S) patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda announced that he would fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday as a mark of protest as he was not given an opportunity to raise the issue of farmers’ suicides in Lok Sabha.

He told the media here on Saturday that he was denied an opportunity to speak on the issue though he had requested the Speaker of Lok Sabha through a letter. Farmers have been committing suicide across the country following failure of crops and because of debt. Due to the ongoing tussle between the ruling BJP and opposition Congress over Lalitgate scam, issues concerning farmers could not be taken up in Lok Sabha, Mr Gowda said adding “I will not call off the hunger strike till I get a chance to speak on farmers issues in parliament. I do not know if I will get a chance to raise the issue or not next week because Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has already stated that his party will not allow the Parliament to function till external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj quits.”

Due to the adamant attitude of Opposition Congress, parliament could not function for four days. Besides, even the ruling BJP was not keen to allow a discussion on such an important issue. Therefore, regional parties were not getting an opportunity to raise the issue in parliament, Mr. Gowda added.

The former prime minister demanded a special package for Karnataka to address the distress among farmers. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would not be able to direct public sector banks and NABARD and therefore the Union government must come to the rescue of farmers, Mr. Gowda added.