Congress Government Accused of Neglecting Sugarcane Growers' Concerns

Belagavi: Former minister Srimant Patil voiced his frustration against the Congress government, accusing it of exploiting discussions on sugarcane growers in the assembly for political gains. Speaking to the media in Kempawada village, in Belagavi district, Patil expressed disappointment over the government's failure to address the issue of cheating in sugarcane weight by certain sugar mills.

Patil highlighted that despite allegations of sugarcane weight manipulation by some sugar mills and complaints from farmers, the government has not taken decisive action to curb this fraud. He asserted that the government, instead of addressing the concerns of farmers, is using the issue for political motives. Patil said he has been raising this issue , bringing it to the attention of relevant government officials, but with no substantial outcome.

In a recent session, Sugar Minister Sivananda Patil promised the installation of digital weighing machines in sugar factory premises. However, Patil criticized the government for not implementing this assurance over the past seven months. He accused the government of failing to stand up for sugarcane growers and allowing fraudulent practices to persist.

Patil, who also owns a sugar factory, challenged the government to demonstrate its commitment by installing a weighing machine in his factory first before making promises to farmers. He emphasized the existence of a widespread network engaged in manipulating sugarcane weight and urged the government to take bold actions to address the issue.

Providing context, Patil revealed that he had submitted various documents related to the issue since 2001 and even approached then-Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in 2018 with supporting documents. Despite these efforts, no substantial progress has been made, and the farmers' writ petition in court has not resulted in justice for sugarcane growers, according to Patil.