Pics: Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network - Bhatkal (SP)

Udupi, Jul 13: Members of the district's Congress Kisan unit, staged a protest near Clock Tower here on Tuesday July 12.

Amrith Shenoy, Congress Yuva Morcha president, addressing the protesters said, "Though the NDA government has launched a new crop insurance scheme for the welfare of farmers, no farmer has received a single paisa as yet. The whole idea of crop insurance scheme is unscientific.

"When Modi came to power at the centre, he introduced land bills. As a result of this many farmers lost their fertile land which hit the life of farmers," he added.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it mandatory that farmers apply online for crop insurance benefits by following GPS. He did this in order to bring transparency in the administration, but it is totally wrong and the union government should not impose such restrictions on the poor farmers."

"Modi is ignoring agriculture, which is the backbone of our country. It is better for Modi to be quiet instead of harassing farmers by imposing strict rules."

Harish Kini, Congress leader said, "Modi is like ‘Draupadi of Mahabharata’. He is struggling to protect the five pandavas (industrialists).

Kini criticized Modi saying, "He is following an anti-farmer policy and his rules are made not in favour of the farmers. PM is encouraging industrialists to invest in international markets instead of promoting the agriculture sector."

Yellur Shashidhar Shetty, president, district Congress Kisan Udupi unit, Janardhan Bhandarkar, Laxminarayan Prabhu and others were present.