Karnataka farmers announce hunger strike from Dec. 6

Federation of Farmers’ Association of Karnataka joins hunger strike in solidarity with farmers' demands, urging government action.

Federation of Farmers’ Association of Karnataka has announced an indefinite hunger strike at Freedom Park in Bengaluru from December 6 in solidarity with Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal’s fast unto death in Punjab to press for the farmers’ demands.

Making the announcement in Mysuru on Sunday, Federation president Kurubur Shanthakumar, who is also the president of Karnataka Sugarcane Growers’ Federation, said the agitation by the country’s farmers, which began on November 26, had entered the sixth day and the situation had become serious.

He called upon the Centre to invite the agitating farmers for talks and find a solution to save the country’s farmers.

Though the Punjab government had arrested the farmers before the start of the agitation on November 26, the authorities, bowing before the farmers’ resolve, released them and brought them back to the protest site, said Mr. Shanthakumar while claiming credit for the “power of the farmers”.

The Samyukta Kisan Manch (non-political) had launched an agitation demanding the implementation of the promised Minimum Support Price (MSP) Guarantee Act and fixation of the MSP as per the M.S. Swaminathan Committee report.

The other demands of the farmers include complete waiver of farm loans, implementation of a pension policy for farmers above 60 years of age and amending the Fasal Bima Crop Insurance scheme.

Mr. Shanthakumar, who is also the South India Convener of the Samkyukta Kisan Manch (Non-political), condemned the government for suppressing the farmers by arresting them like “traitors and thieves”.