Farmers, supported by students, lawyers, and leaders, continue round-the-clock protests, shutting towns like Athani, Hukkeri, Sankeshwar, and Harogeri for three days
Belagavi
The ongoing protest by sugarcane farmers at Gurlapur Cross in Mudalagi taluk has entered its eighth day, growing more intense with each passing day. On Thursday, angry farmers held a mock funeral procession of Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil, symbolizing their frustration over the government’s silence on their demand for Rs. 3,500 per tonne of sugarcane for the current crushing season.
Farmers, joined by students, lawyers, religious leaders, and several organizations, have continued their protest round the clock. For the last three days, towns like Athani, Hukkeri, Sankeshwar, and Harogeri have seen complete shutdowns, with public transport halted and shops closed.
At the protest site, farmers set tyres ablaze on major roads and marched with placards and sticks. Farmer leader Chunnappa Poojary warned, “We have given the government time till 8 p.m. to decide. If they fail, we will block the Bengaluru–Pune National Highway. We are not asking for Rs. 5,000—just a fair price of Rs. 3,500.”
In Athani, farmers staged a half-naked demonstration to highlight their suffering. Leader Mahadev Madiwala declared that if the government continues to ignore their plea, they would besiege the Suvarna Soudha during the upcoming winter session in Belagavi.
Expressing solidarity, Jagadguru Basava Jayamrutyunjaya Swamiji of the Panchamasali community urged the government to “stop being stubborn” and meet the farmers’ demands immediately. “Farmers are not asking for luxury, only for justice. A ton of sugarcane earns factories Rs. 14,000 in profit. Is it wrong to give farmers Rs. 3,500?” he questioned.
Swamiji added that even former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai suggested a balanced solution—factories paying Rs. 3,300 and the government contributing Rs. 200 per tonne. “Only when farmers survive can factories thrive,” he said, pledging full support to the movement.
The farmers vowed to continue their agitation until the government announces a fair and final decision.