Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s remarks against agitating sugarcane farmers in which he reportedly termed them as ‘goondas,’ has invited severe criticism from farmers and the opposition BJP alike, reported the Deccan Chronicle.
Driving trucks with sugarcane, a group of farmers on Sunday morning tried to ‘gatecrash’ into Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, the legislature complex in Belagavi, protesting against Kumaraswamy’s reported cancellation of his visit to meet the farmers there on Monday and instead asking them to come to Bengaluru.
“My farmers are peace-loving and have great respect towards elected representatives. But the protesters are attempting to break the gates of Suvarna Soudha. They are not farmers but goondas who are disrespecting farmers. My government wants to give benefits to farmers. Should I not take action when you are trying to break Suvarna Soudha?” Kumaraswamy said during his address at Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) in Bengaluru. He even took offence to farmers protesting against his government and chided them for their political choices, reports the New Indian Express.
“A woman who was protesting said I wasn’t worthy of becoming CM because sugar mill owners haven’t paid farmers in four years. I have been chief minister for just five months now. These protesters voted in favour of sugar factory owners in the election and have suddenly woken up to criticise me for non-payment. Where were they all these years?” Kumaraswamy asked, making a jibe like he did earlier over protests against his government by farmers of Koppal.