People who lost land for sugar factory in Alaganchi village in Varuna threaten to boycott polls in Karnataka

When the protesters alleged indifference by the State Government, former Varuna MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah claimed that, during a meeting with the authorities, the management of the sugar factory had assured employment to the children of farmers, whose lands had been acquired. Unfortunately, they have not kept their word, he said. Also, the protesters expressed anger over Mr. Yathindra’s failure to visit them for more than two months that they have staging their protest, and threatened to boycott the elections. 

The residents of Alaganchi village in Varuna Assembly constituency in Mysuru district, whose lands were acquired by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), have threatened to boycott the Lok Sabha elections to press their demand for employment in the sugar factory set up on the land acquired from them.

Residents of the village, who have been staging their protest outside the Bannari Amman sugar factory for more than two months demanding jobs, targeted their ire at former MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah when he was campaigning in the area for Sunil Bose , the Congress candidate for Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency, on April 7.

After touring parts of Mallpura gram panchayat in Varuna Assembly constituency, Mr. Yathindra went to speak to the protesters in Alaganchi village.

When the protesters alleged indifference by the State Government, Mr. Yathindra claimed that, during a meeting convened by the authorities, the management of the sugar factory had assured employment to the children of farmers, whose lands had been acquired. Unfortunately, they have not kept their word, he said, while assuring the protesters that he will bring the matter to the notice of his father and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who represents Varuna in the Assembly.

But, the protesters expressed anger over Mr. Yathindra’s failure to visit them for more than two months that they have staging their protest, and threatened to boycott the elections. 

Mr. Puneeth, one of the protesters whose land had been acquired by KIADB, more than 220 families had lost their agricultural land during the acquisition process in the 1990s. Though the management of the sugar factory claims to have offered employment to 70 persons, another 44 persons had submitted their applications for jobs. But, the factory management has been claiming that there is no vacancy.

Though about 20 children of land-losing farmers were given jobs as contract labourers, the management has asked the contract labourers, who had joined the agitation, to stop coming for work in view of them joining the protest, Mr. Puneeth claimed.