Bengaluru, Feb 6 (IANS): Karnataka unit BJP General Secretary P. Rajeev on Tuesday said that the Chief Minister has remained silent on the farmer deaths in the state.

“More than 850 farmers have committed suicide in the state and the Chief Minister has remained silent over these deaths. Minister Shivanand Patil has in an uncivilized manner said that farmers are ending their lives to get compensation for their families,” Rajeev said during a protest at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru.

The protesting BJP workers had also brought cows to the protesting site against the alleged failure of the government to release the subsidy of Rs 715 crore on milk from July 2023 to Jan 2024.

“Did you stop the milk subsidy so that farmers commit suicide?” Rajeev asked.

He said that the Chief Minister travels in a chartered plane with Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan to New Delhi but does not have the humanity to release the subsidy on milk for farmers.

“Even the livestock are against the government. The veterinary hospitals of Bengaluru city and Bengaluru Rural have also been transferred to other districts. The government seems to be pursuing the policy that there should not be any cows or the farmers who rear them,” Rajeev said.

He said that the government is pursuing an anti-cow policy. “Rs 4,000 subsidy given by former Chief Minister Yediyurappa has also been stopped. The funds given for the diesel to farmers has also been stopped. The Vidya Siri programme scholarship for the children of farmers has also been stopped,” Rajeev said.

State President of Raitha Morcha A. S. Nadahalli said that the Congress government has stopped all pro-farmers programmes launched by the previous BJP government.