Chamarajanagara: Farmers protest power sector privatisation proposal

Chamarajanagara: Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha, Hasiru Sene, Sugarcane Growers Association on Tuesday staged a protest against the Union government's proposal to privatise the power sector.

Addessing the gathering, Sugarcane Growers Association president H Bagyaraj alleged that the Union government was trying to privatise private sector and install meters to irrigation pump sets. He described it as an evil plan to reduce farmers as slaves of private companies.

State Raitha Sangha vice president Mahesh Prabhu alleged that the government was tyrying to privatise all government companies and make everyone to become slaves of corporate sector.

He said if power sector was also privatised farmers would be in no position to take up agriculture in future and urged the Union government to withdraw anti farmer bills at the earliest.

District unit farmers association president Honnuru Prakash said that more than three crore people are depending on agriculture in Karnataka.

He deplored that the Centre was introducing anti farmer laws under the guise of controlling Covid-19. He warned of agitation if the government did not withdraw the new laws.

The farmers raised slogans against the Modi government, burnt tyres on road and blocked the national highway No 209 at Santhemaralli. Vehicular traffic was disrupted for some time. Later police persuaded the farmers to withdraw their protest.