Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 30 : Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka, along with a BJP drought study team, staged a protest sitting with farmers in a pigeon pea field at Karekal village in Ballari taluk on Thursday, alleging that farmers were facing severe distress due to deficient rainfall and that the state government was not taking the situation seriously.
As part of its statewide drought assessment, the BJP team visited Sidaginamola and Karekal villages in Ballari district. The members inspected pigeon pea crops that are drying up due to lack of rain, held direct discussions with farmers, gathered details about crop losses, and sought information from officials on the ground situation.
Speaking on the occasion, R Ashoka said most districts in the state are reeling under drought.
|With no rain, crops are withering, and farmers are struggling to sustain their livelihoods. There is no water in the dams, and no crops in the fields. But instead of responding to farmers' problems, the state government is busy enjoying itself in Delhi," he alleged.
"So far, no minister or senior official has visited farmers' fields to understand the actual situation. The government has shown complete apathy. Hence, I have instructed that wherever the BJP is conducting drought studies across the state, protests should be held by sitting in farmers' fields themselves," he added.
R Ashoka demanded that the government announce a compensation of ₹50,000 per acre for farmers who have lost their entire crop due to drought. He also urged officials to immediately visit fields, conduct a crop loss survey, and begin the process of disbursing compensation.
MLAs Byrati Basavaraj, BP Harish, Krishna Naik and former minister G Janardhana Reddy were among the BJP leaders who participated in the drought study team.
After completing the study in Ballari, the team proceeded to Vijayanagara district to review the drought situation there as well.
Farmers in Ballari district expressed their anguish over pigeon pea and other crops drying up due to rain deficiency. They voiced concern that if the government does not take relief measures immediately, the agriculture sector will face even greater distress in the coming days.