BSY felicitated by PM with green shawl, but farmers with green shawl barred from venue in Shivamogga

The Shivamogga police had advised people not to turn up at the venue wearing black clothes. However, there was no restriction on wearing a green shawl

Sogane (Shivamogga)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa with a green shawl during the inauguration of Shivamogga airport while farmers, who were wearing green shawls, were not allowed to enter the venue.

A group of farmers from Baada and Mayakonda villages in Davanagere district had reached Sogane by 9.30 a.m. in a private vehicle by 9.30 am. Five of them were barred from entering the venue as they were wearing green shawls.

“We are all farmers, and the green shawl is our identity. As we were stopped for wearing a green shawl, we were angry. However, we did not argue with them. We returned to our vehicle,” said Hanumanna of Baada village. His friends Chandrasekhar, Kumaraswamy, Ashoka and Pratap were all wearing a green shawl.

“We are also members of milk producers’ cooperative society of Shivamogga Milk Union. The union had invited us to take part in the programme, as a packaging unit of the union was one among those inaugurated by the PM. The organisers should not insult farmers,” he said.

Earlier, the Shivamogga police had advised people not to turn up at the venue wearing black clothes. However, there was no restriction on wearing a green shawl.