From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi
Belagavi, Jun 30: The opposition BJP staged a dharna in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly as soon as the House met on the first day in the border city of Belagavi on Monday.
The members led by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly over the issue of non-payment of dues to sugarcane growers by the State Government.
The issue of pending canes growers dues also figured prominently and created pandemonium in the Legislative Council in the morning
A 10-day monsoon session of the state legislature commenced in the Suvarna Soudha building in the border district of Belagavi on Monday.
The BJP members urge the State Government to hold the session in Belagavi for 20 days by cancelling the 10-day session in the State capital.
The BJP members demanded payment of dues of the cane growers to the tune of Rs 960 crore by the State Government for the previous years and over Rs 3000 crore of the last year.
They shouted slogans against the State Government and said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has no moral right to continue in office.
They demanded the State Government to hold the session only after clearing pending dues of cane growers.
The BJP members withdrew the dharnaonly after Speaker KagoduThimmappa allowed a detailed discussion on the issue.
Leader of the Opposition JagadishShettar, sougt to move an adjournment motion on the issue of pending dues of cane growers and alleged that the State Government immediately take steps to clear pending cane growers.
Several farmers had committed suicides owing to the anti-farmers policy pursued by the State Government, he alleged.
The Agriculture Princes Commission has not done anything tofix prices for cane growers or other commodities.
The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who intervened, said that the State Government had taken several pro-farmer schemes and it was ready to debate on the issue.
“We are not running away from the issue. We are ready to debate the issue at length. We will provide reply to all issues’’ the Chief Minister said.