BJP stages protest against GO asking farmers to pay partial cost of power connection

BJP Raitha Morcha and other orgs. protested in Belagavi, demanding withdrawal of Govt. Order asking farmers to pay for power supply connection. Tension arose when police stopped them from entering DC's office. Protestors dispersed after sitting outside perimeter. MP Mangala Angadi urged govt. to withdraw order. Leaders Eeranna Kadadi, Sanjay Patil, Mahantesh Dodagoudar, M.B. Zirli present.

Members of the BJP Raitha Morcha and other organisations of the party took out a protest rally in Belagavi on Friday, demanding the withdrawal of the Government Order asking farmers to pay a part of the power supply connection for irrigation pumpsets.

There was some tension when the police stopped them from entering the Deputy commissioner’s office premises.

The police said that the protestors should staged their protest in a designated place, while the latter argued against it and insisted on entering the Deputy Commissioner’s office premises. The protestors sat for some time outside the perimeter and then, dispersed.

Raitha Morcha president Eeranna Kadadi said that the Congress government in the State is anti-farmer and it is bound to ensure that farmers suffered in penury by asking them to pay additional cost for getting power connections to their fields.

“The Government Order asks farmers to pay for the cost of transformer and electricity poles. If this is not daylight robbery, what else is?” he said.

Member of Parliament Mangala Angadi said that the State government has the moral right to protect the interests of farmers and urged the government to withdraw the order.

The former MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath, the former MLAs Sanjay Patil and Mahantesh Dodagoudar, M.B. Zirli and other leaders were present.