Sugar minister apologised for statement on farmers suicides

Haveri: In a bid to quell the controversy sparked by his earlier statement regarding farmers' suicides, Sugar Minister Shivananda Patila has issued an apology to the aggrieved farmers. This comes after his initial announcement of a ₹5 lakh compensation package, during which he inadvertently suggested that more cases of farmer suicides were being reported.

The minister's remark had caused a wave of anger and frustration among farmers and various farmers' unions across the state, leading to widespread protests. In response to the outrage, District In-charge Minister Shivananda Patil decided to make amends by offering an apology for any offense caused by his statement.

On Monday, the State Farmers' Association and the Green Army organized a protest at the inspection bungalow in Haveri, during which they also demanded that the remaining three taluks of the district be declared as drought-prone areas. Minister Patila, upon his arrival at the protest site, clarified that his words had been misconstrued in the media. He expressed his sincere regret if his statement had hurt the sentiments of the farmers and assured them of his apology. Subsequently, the farmers decided to withdraw their protest.

Prior to the minister's arrival, the Farmers Association had announced a monetary contribution of ₹50 laķh . Farmers, holding ₹500 notes, staged a demonstration demanding that the minister commit to the same amount. They were even prepared to surround the minister if their demands were not met. While the police initially attempted to facilitate discussions between farmer leaders and the minister, they were ultimately unsuccessful.

Finally, Minister Patil, along with local MLAs, arrived at the protest site and engaged in a dialogue with the farmers. Ramanna Kenchallera, the district president of the Farmers Association, emphasized the importance of farmers' lives and dignity, cautioning against committing suicide in anticipation of government relief. He reminded the government that they had been elected with the hope of a democratic system and urged them to honor that trust.