Karnataka : Yatnal accuses Congress Ministers of hatching a conspiracy to close down his sugar factory
BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal accused Congress leaders Eshwar Khandre and Priyank Kharge of being responsible for the closure of the Chincholi Sugar Factory, daring them to purchase it for ₹850 crore. Yatnal, who acquired the factory to support local farmers, criticized the leaders for hindering its operations for political motives. He highlighted the factory’s benefit to 15,000 farmers and job creation for 2,000 people, stressing that sugarcane crushing must resume to prevent farmer distress. Yatnal warned of filing complaints against the ministers if any sugarcane farmers in the region commit suicide.
Continuing his tirade against Congress leaders, BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal held Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre, Minister for Textiles, Sugarcane Development and Sugar Shivanand Patil and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge responsible for the closing down of the Chincholi Sugar Factory owned by Siddhasiri Souharda Sahakari Niyamit and dared the Congress leaders to purchase the factory now.
“Mr. Kharge and Mr. Khandre are responsible for the closing down of the sugar factory. Let them now purchase it by paying ₹850 crore,” Mr. Yatnal told presspersons here on Monday.
Mr. Yatnal said that though several tenders were floated in the last 10 years for purchasing the factory, none came forward, except him. “I bought the sugar factory to protect the interests of sugarcane growers in this region. But Mr. Khandre and Mr. Kharge are creating hurdles in the functioning of the factory for their political motives,” he said.
He questioned the Congress leaders whether they are really concerned about farmers, as they had failed to purchase the sugar factory all these years. The Chincholi Sugar Factory benefited 15,000 farmers and generated nearly 2,000 jobs after I bought it, he added.
Reiterating that the Chincholi Sugar Factory has paid ₹2,600 per tonne of sugarcane and deposited the amount in farmers account within 15 days of sale, Mr. Yatnal said that the Bhalki Sugar Factory has fixed ₹2,000 per tonne of sugarcane to be paid in installments.
Stating that this year, farmers in Chitapur, Sedam and Chincholi taluks will harvest around 20 lakh tonnes of sugarcane and 10 lakh tonnes will come from Humnabad taluk, Mr. Yatnal said that farmers will suffer if the Chincholi Sugar Factory fails to resume sugarcane crushing this season.
Mr. Yatnal warned that if any sugarcane grower commits suicide in the region, he will lodge a complaint against the Ministers concerned.
