Belagavi/Bengaluru, 5 Nov 

The ongoing protest by sugarcane farmers in Belagavi district, now in its eighth day, is spreading rapidly to neighbouring districts as farmer organisations have announced plans to escalate the agitation by launching a “Punjab Model” protest from 7 November. 

They plan to block the Pune–Bengaluru National Highway (NH-4) across all districts and taluk headquarters to ensure that the State government listens.

Farmers are demanding a fair price of Rs 3,500 per tonne of sugarcane, as against the Rs 3,050 currently being paid by factories in the State.

Belagavi — often called the sugar bowl of Karnataka for its 30 sugar mills — has become the epicentre of the agitation. Most sugarcane-growing regions in the district have been economically paralysed for over a week. Farmers in Athani, Raibag, and Mudalagi taluks staged massive demonstrations on Tuesday, expanding the protest to newer areas.

Despite repeated appeals, neither the State government nor the sugar mills have addressed the growers’ demands. 

Farmer leaders said the protest would continue until the government fixes a uniform and remunerative price for sugarcane, comparable to the rates offered in other major sugar-producing states.

State president of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Choonappa Pujari, said that the decision to hold a Statewide highway blockade was final. Protests are also planned in Mandya, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Haveri, and Dharwad, where farmers will stage sit-ins.

Former chief minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai, on Wednesday, urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to immediately intervene, alleging that several ministers have “vested interests in the sugar business”.

“However, the CM seems indifferent towards the farmers and is preoccupied with political calculations to retain his post, leaving him with no time to address farmers’ problems,” Bommai said in a statement.

Opposition Leader R Ashoka asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, “Where is Kisan Nyay (farmer justice) for the farmers of Karnataka?”

State BJP President BY Vijayendra, who joined the protesting farmers in Belagavi on Tuesday, took part in the overnight agitation. 

“If Rahul Gandhi’s heart really beats for farmers, why is he silent when Karnataka’s sugarcane growers have been forced to block highways for 6 straight days?” Ashoka asked.

ETHANOL SCAM? 

However, Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil said in Vijayapura that the State’s role in price fixation is limited. He noted that Minister Murugesh Nirani has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking intervention to address challenges in the sugar sector.

According to Patil, sugar exports have been halted and ethanol production reduced, making it difficult for factories to pay higher prices to farmers. “The State government is in touch with the Centre to explore a price hike for sugar,” he added.