Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 18: JDS national president and former Prime Minister, H D Deve Gowda, accused both central and state governments for the serial suicides of farmers in Karnataka. He placed onus on both these governments for their failure in protecting farmers interests, addressing a press conference at his residence here on Friday July 17.

'Both Karnataka and union government have to own responsibility for these deaths. Protecting the interests of farmers should be given paramount importance, in addition to pursuit of dreams like Narendra Modi's Skill India and Siddaramaiah's Ahinda upliftment,' he analyzed.

He blamed faulty policies of these two governments and apathy towards pro-farmer programmes, claiming that these errors have been forcing food providers of the nation to choose death over life. He warned that unless the governments sit up, take notice, and take remedial measures urgently, the issue might snowball into a major crisis.

'When I met Narendra Modi, I had urged him to show more care and concern towards agriculturists. But my plea did not have the desired affect. BJP national president, Amit Shah, came to Karnataka and gave a call for strengthening of BJP in South India. He did not speak anything about the deceased farmers,' he recalled.

Gowda said that when his party raises the issue of farmer suicides, Siddaramaiah charges it of conspiring to unseat his government. He wanted to know from the chief minister as to whether all the farmers who committed suicides were from JDS, and none belonged to Ahinda communities.

Siddu to addresses citizens on radio, to visit houses of farmers

Bengaluru, Jul 18: A sense of urgency and alertness seems to have taken root in the state government as well as Congress party after former chief minister and union minister, S M Krishna, visited Mandya relating to suicides by farmers. The government as well as Congress party have planned to rush to the rescue of farmers during this week end.

A la Mann Ki Baat of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Siddaramaiah, announced his plans to address farmers of the state on radio at 8.30 am on Saturday, with a view to instill a sense of confidence and courage among the farmers. He has also planned to visit houses of farmers from Mandya and Mysuru districts, who ended their lives recently.

The chief minister has also written to all the district in-charge ministers, to meet families of farmers who have committed suicide, and listen to their grievances. In the letter which was dispatched on Saturday, he asked these ministers to tour their districts, hold meetings with farmers, and submit reports to him.

Not to fall far behind, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, Dr G Parameshwar, too wrote letters to all the party legislators on Saturday, directing them to hear problems of farmers, suggest remedial measures, and send reports thereof to him.