The Siddaramaiah government’s attempt to resolve the ongoing sugarcane crisis on Thursday collapsed after talks between senior ministers and striking farmers in Gurlapur, Mudalgi taluk, near Belagavi, ended without agreement.
Farmers, led by Chonappa Pujari, have demanded Rs 3,500 per tonne of sugarcane and warned that the agitation would escalate if the government failed to meet their demand by Friday evening.
Sugar Minister Shivanand Patil visited the protest site late Thursday, appealing to the protesters to withdraw their proposed highway blockade. He conveyed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s assurance that the issue would be permanently resolved by Friday evening.
“I urge you not to block roads tomorrow. The CM has sought just one more day to bring a lasting solution,” Patil told the farmers.
However, his plea was rejected. The farmers stood firm, saying the protest would intensify if their demand were not fulfilled. They later agreed to postpone the road blockade by a day.
“If the government ignores us again, thousands of farmers from across Karnataka will march to Belagavi. We’ll end the protest the moment Rs 3,500 per tonne is declared—nothing less,” said Pujari.
As the protest in Gurlapur entered its eighth day, Mudalgi observed a complete bandh on Thursday. The shutdown, supported by traders, business owners, and locals, brought life to a standstill across Mudalgi, Gurlapur, Jamboti, and Gokak.
In a symbolic act of protest, farmers carried an effigy of the sugar minister in a 3-km march from Kalmeshwar Circle to Gurlapur Cross, accusing the government of “betraying the backbone of the rural economy.” Students also joined in, raising slogans and carrying placards in solidarity.
Earlier in Belagavi, Patil told reporters that the CM would hold a key meeting with sugar factory owners in Bengaluru on Friday. “The government stands with the farmers. There is no political pressure; we want a peaceful solution. But the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) is fixed by the Centre,” he explained.
Patil also criticised Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, remarking, “He is from Karnataka but has remained silent on this crucial issue.”
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) warned that it would call for a Belagavi bandh on Thursday if the state government failed to announce the Rs 3,500 per tonne rate for sugarcane.
