Farmers in Raibag shut down the town on Thursday to protest the police detention of Shashikant Guruj, honorary president, and Chinnappa Poojari, state president, of the Karnataka State Farmers Association and Green Army. The demonstration was organized to demand a suitable minimum support price for sugarcane and to condemn the state government’s actions. Lawyers from the Raibag court supported the agitation, joining hands with the farmers to express their anger against the administration.
Expressing their discontent, the legal fraternity filed a complaint at the Raibag police station seeking the registration of a case against Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Sugar Minister Rudrappa Lamani, and District In-charge Minister Sateesh Jarkiholi. Lawyer B.N. Bandagar stated that it is the government’s responsibility to provide fair value for farmers’ labor and urged the immediate declaration of an appropriate support price for sugarcane.
Lawyer Basavneppa Eeti criticized the government for arresting activists instead of resolving farmers’ issues, describing the move as a sign of weakness. He demanded the immediate release of the detained farmer leaders and the fulfillment of the demands of sugarcane growers. Chethan Nayik, state honorary president of the youth wing of the Karnataka State Farmers Association and Green Army, warned that the struggle would continue until a just price is fixed for sugarcane.
The protest was attended by lawyers P.M. Daroor, Mahesh Theli, and Mahesh Tawashi, along with farmer leaders Vijay Nayik, Hanamant Nayik, Anand Kate, Ramesh Kalhar, Ramesh Kumbhar, Sanjeev Bavache, Sandeep Vantamorre, and Sidram Mandale from the Raayabag taluk.
