Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who flew down to Kittur in Belagavi district on Saturday (October 17) evening to meet the farmers who are undertaking a padayatra, made an appeal to them to conclude it at Kittur and promised to do everything to redress their grievances. He assured the gathering of convening a meeting of all stakeholders after Dasara festival.

Addressing a massive gathering of sugarcane farmers, the Chief Minister narrated all the steps that the State government had taken to address the issues raised by the protesting farmers and also that of the Centre.

“I understand your situation, pain and anguish. But this is not the problem of you alone. It is the problem of farmers of all sugarcane-growing States and needs to be redressed through a holistic approach,” he said.

The Chief Minister said he would convene a meeting of the sugar mill owners, Union and State government officials, sugarcane farmers and also take farmers along with him to meet Union ministers.

Prior to the Chief Minister’s address, Chunappa Pujeri, State president of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, and farmer leader Shashikant Padasalagi Guru spoke at length about the farmers’ grievances. Before heading to the farmers’ rally, Mr. Shivakumar on Saturday garlanded the statue of Rani Channamma at Kittur. He was accompanied by a host of leaders.

However, Mr. Pujeri clarified later that the padayatra would continue until the Union government gave a concrete assurance about revising MSP.

“The Chief Minister also promised to seriously consider our demand for a State Advisory Price of ₹1,000 per tonne supplied. However, he did not give any assurance on the spot. We told him that we will continue the padayatra to Hubballi and present the demand before Union Minister Pralhad Joshi,” he said.