Dharwad Farmers Block Road, Protest Power Privatisation Plan
Scores of farmers in Dharwad took to the streets on Tuesday, blocking a road to protest the state government's reported move to privatise power supply and to demand fulfilment of pending grievances.
The protest, organised by the Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and Hasiru Sene, saw farmers march from Kadapa Maidan to Jubilee Circle, where they formed a human chain and blocked the junction for some time. A few farmers also lashed the road with a whip (barukolu) as a symbolic gesture.
The farmers are upset over the state government allowing Tata Power Company Limited to apply for a parallel power distribution licence, which they believe will lead to privatisation. Protest leaders, including district president Rarooq Killedar and vice-president Maruti Sunkad, said that such a move would end free power supply for irrigation pumpsets and other farmer benefits. They urged the government to retain the existing system.
After the protest, farmers submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through district administration officials. The memorandum demands inclusion of maize, green gram, red gram, and mango plantation under crop insurance, declaration of the current year as a drought year due to reduced rainfall, and intervention to stop harassment of farmers by bank officials and microfinance agents.
