BJP stages protest demanding resumption of operations at Yatnal’s sugar factory
BJP leaders in Kalaburagi protested on Tuesday, demanding the reopening of the Siddhasiri Ethanol and Power Unit, owned by BJP MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal, which was shut down for environmental violations. The protest coincided with Kalyana Karnataka Utsav celebrations. Farmers and activists attempted demonstrations, but were detained by police, who organized discussions with Pollution Control Board officials instead.
The BJP in Kalaburagi district resorted to protests demanding that the government allow the Siddhasiri Ethanol and Power Unit at Chincholi to resume operations, even as Kalyana Karnataka Utsav celebrations were under way on Tuesday to mark the anniversary of the region’s liberation from the rule of Hyderabad Nizam.
The sugar plant, which was forced to close down its shutters for non-compliance and violation of environmental norms and terms and conditions set by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, is owned by BJP Vijayapura MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal.
After Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hoisted the national flag and delivered his address at the District Armed Reserve (DAR) Police Ground here, BJP leaders, including Chincholi MLA Avinash Jadhav, Kalaburagi Rural MLA Basavaraj Mattimadu, MLC Shashil Namoshi, leaders Amarnath Patil, Shivaraj Patil Raddewadagi and Chandu Patil, staged a demonstration along with a few activists and farmers at Public Garden. They demanded that the government allow the plant to resume sugarcane crushing.
BJP activists staging a protest in Kalaburagi on Tuesday demanding that the government allow BJP leader Basangouda Patil Yatnal’s Siddhasiri Ethanol and Power Unit to resume its operations.
Some BJP leaders said that the agitation was planned on Kalyana Karnataka Utsav Day to bring the attention of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the issue.
In Chincholi, BJP activists and farmers attempted to take out a procession and stage demonstrations with the same demand. However, the police detained them in the taluk administrative complex and arranged a discussion on the issue with the Pollution Control Board and Revenue Department officials.
Officers of the Pollution Control Board Shivaraj, Rakesh and Sudharani tried to convince BJP leaders Vijayakumar Cheganti, K.M. Bari, Sreemanth Kattimani and Chitrashekhar Patil and farmers leaders Nandkumar Patil, Janardhan Kulkarni, Suryakanth Huli and others of the reasons for issuing the closure notice to the plant. Unconvinced agitators tried to walkout from the meeting. However, the police did not allow them to leave the complex.
Protestors detained
BJP leaders later said that the agitating activists and leaders were detained inside the taluk administrative complex in the name of discussion just to avoid the agitation.
In Sedam, a group of farmers led by BJP leader and former Sedam MLA Rajkumar Patil Telkur was stopped by the police at Malkhed when it was moving towards Kalaburagi to submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister. It is learnt that the farmers wanted to raise several issues with the CM. They protested on the spot as they were not allowed to meet him.
The police also stopped farmers at Mahagaon Cross, Ashok Nagar, Edga Cross, Kodli Cross, Kamalapur, Kalagi and other places to prevent them from reaching Kalaburagi where the Chief Minister participated in the Kalyana Karnataka Utsav.
“We wanted to meet the Chief Minister and raise many problems that the region’s farmers are facing. However, the police did not allow us. The district administration used force to prevent us from meeting the Chief Minister,” a farmer said.
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