Southern States - Karnataka

KRRS meet to discuss farmers' suicide

By Our Staff Reporter

HASSAN MAY 28. The Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) will discuss the issue of suicide by farmers and the lack of adequate response by the authorities to the situation at its State Committee meeting to be held at Davangere on Thursday.

Disclosing this to presspersons here today, the General Secretary of the KRRS, Kodihalli Chandrashekar, blamed government policies for the rising number of suicide by farmers. He said the intimidation of farmers through Pulakeshi Pade of the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPTCL) and the "mindless reports of so-called experts" on reasons for farmers' suicide was proof of the Government's "anti-farmer mindset".

Referring to the recent suicide by a farmer at Banavar in Arsikere taluk, Mr. Chandrashekar blamed it on "intimidation" by the Pulakeshi Pade. He said the jurisdictional police had conveniently registered a case of suicide, and demanded that it be treated as a case of murder. The Pulakeshi Pade officials should be booked under relevant sections of the law, he said.

Stating that more than 200 farmers had committed suicide in the State last year alone, he wanted the Government to provide adequate compensation to their families immediately. The Government must come up with concrete solutions to stop farmers from ending their lives, he said.

Referring to the reported statement of the Agriculture Minister, T.B. Jayachandra, that the Government would deal sternly with people and organisations disrupting the Bt cotton trials in the State, Mr. Chandrashekar said that the farmers were equally determined to stop it. It was up to the farmers to protect indigenous seeds from the genetically modified seeds.

Urging farmers and traders not to buy or sell the Bt cotton seeds in the larger national interest, he said it would be unethical for merchants to earn a profit by selling seeds promoted by multinational companies. The need of the hour was for a thorough discussion on the pros and cons of using this new technology given the global opposition to genetic manipulation.

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