Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jan 21: Former state minister, J Krishna Palemar, has accused the state government headed by Congress of being directly responsible for the situation in which farmers from the state are finding themselves in, relating to ownership rights over Kumki land.He said that the government, by totally neglecting the issue after coming to power, had given rise to the situation in which the agriculturists are losing out their right over Kumki land.

"When BJP was in power in Karnataka, preparations were made to bring ammendment to land allotment rules and vest farmers with Kumki rights. As the then governor did not sign the order, the issue did not progress. The Congress leaders, by using their political clout, had pressurized the governor not to sign this order," he alleged.

Palemar feels that the Congress had an opportunity to implement the decision taken by the previous BJP government on this issue on coming to power, but the revenue minister himself stated that Kumki right cannot be given to farmers as the government is facing shortage of land for different schemes. As the court has come out with an adverse verdict, farmers have become apprehensive, he added.

He noted that farmers have been enjoying Kumki right since 1881, and that without Kumki land, it is impossible to carryout agricultural activity and animal husbandry in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. "Congress party, which ignored the issue of protecting Kumki rights of farmers, has lot the moral right to speak for the farmers. The farmers will teach Congress a fitting lesson in the coming election," he said in a release.