BENGALURU: It is not right for the Karnataka government to point fingers at the Centre regarding the issue of sugarcane farmers. Calling it an “unjust act that misleads farmers, ” Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi has written directly to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday expressing his objection.
As sugarcane farmers’ protests have intensified across the state, the Chief Minister pointing at the Centre and trying to shift blame over the issue of protecting farmers’ interests is not acceptable, Joshi said.
He emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has always been committed to the welfare of farmers and has implemented stronger measures than ever before to safeguard the interests of both sugarcane growers and sugar factories.
Earlier, farmers used to protest demanding payment of cane arrears. The Union government under Prime Minister Modi recognised the distress of farmers and resolved it — cane arrears have now been brought down to zero, he noted.