Belagavi: Farmers continued their agitation for the second consecutive day in Belagavi district on Wednesday, blocking National Highways at three places before beginning a march to the residence of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in Hubballi to press for their demands.
Hundreds of farmers spent Tuesday night at the Hirebagewadi toll plaza on the National Highway, sleeping on the road and having their meals there. On Wednesday morning, they resumed their protest, raised slogans against the State and Central governments, bringing traffic to a standstill.
Dharna continued at the Koganolli toll plaza in Nippani taluk and the Hattargi toll plaza in Hukkeri taluk.
The farmers, led by State Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene president Chunappa Pujeri, are demanding Rs 5,500 per tonne for sugarcane. They have also sought a minimum support price of Rs 60 for sugar and the purchase of ethanol.
Pujeri said the farmers had decided to take their protest to Joshi’s residence rather than continue blocking highways and inconveniencing the public.
“Our demands have not yet been met. Our demands, including Rs 60 MSP for sugar and the purchase of ethanol, must be fulfilled. We do not want to trouble the people. So we have decided to go to Minister Joshi’s house,” he told reporters.
He warned that if the demands were not met before the protesters reached Hubballi, 50 lakh farmers would march to the minister’s residence. He also appealed to farmers protesting over the issue in various districts to join the march.
The sugarcane farmers’ protest brought traffic on the Bengaluru-Pune National Highway to a standstill in Haveri district on Wednesday, with kilometres-long queues of vehicles building up near the Bankapur toll plaza and leaving thousands of commuters stranded.
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