The protest by sugarcane farmers that began in Belagavi on Tuesday spread to other places in the district on Wednesday.

Farmers in Gokak, Mudalagi, Gurlapur, Munnolli and other villages and towns began rasta roko on nearby roads as part of the protest.

Meanwhile, traffic on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway between Hubballi and Maharashtra border at Kuganoli was completely stopped.

The police diverted vehicles through alternative routes that can connect Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra through State Highways and District Main Roads.

Some seers met the protestors and expressed support to their cause.

Sri Nijagunananda Swami of Bailur Math said that the protest is not against any individual or party but against the anti-farmer policies of the government. If a government of any party at the Centre and in the State can frame policies favourable to trade and industries, then the same government should be able to frame policies that ensure welfare and prosperity of farmers.

“There is no confusion in this. That is why, I feel that the demands of farmers are fair and that the movement is non-political,” he said.

Sri Rajayogindra Swami of Kittur Kalmath described the protest as historic as farmers are the last section of society to protest against injustice.

They suffer injustice not only from human beings but also from nature. They are given a raw deal by both. However, they continue to suffer silently. They do not speak out against their condition as frequently as the other sections of society do. Now, they have come to the streets to demand justice and fair price.

“The movement that started here will spread to the whole country,” he said.

KRRS leader Chunappa Pujeri said that the protest will not be withdrawn till the Union government ensures a revised MSP of ₹60 per kg of sugar and ₹5,500 per tonne of sugarcane.

He also said that oil companies should buy all ethanol produced in the State. Their procurement should not be discriminatory. Now, they are buying large quantities from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh but very less from Karnataka. This should stop, he said.

Farmers continued to raise slogans against Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi and demanded his resignation.

Meanwhile, they staged road blockades at three places in Belagavi district – Kuganoli, Hattaragi and Hire Bagewadi.

A large number of goods trucks are waiting on the highway since Tuesday. Some of them contain food and fuel, the police said. They estimate that goods transportation from Pune in Maharashtra to Satara, Kolhapur, Belagavi, Hubballi, Davangere, Chitradurga, Tumkur and Bengaluru has been affected due to this.

On Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan met some leaders and urged them to end the National Highway blockade. The Deputy Commissioner said that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar sent a message that the State government is with them and that it will take all necessary steps to ensure they get FRP and that they do not suffer injustice at the hands of the sugar factories.

However, the protestors refused to budge saying that they will not withdraw till the Union government sends a clear message about MSP and FRP revision.