JD(S) youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy visited the ruined maize fields in Shivamogga
Speaking during Raitha Swabhimana Yatre in Shivamogga Rural constituency, he said sowing had been targeted across nearly 55 lakh hectares, but severe rain deficits had parched maize, ragi and groundnut crops. He said JD(S) teams, guided by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and Union minister HD Kumaraswamy, were visiting fields in all 31 districts. The Hassan district unit of JD(S) has alleged that the reservation roster announced for the zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat elections is unscientific, claiming that several constituencies have witnessed a repetition of reservation categories.
Kumaraswamy said JD(S) would continue its agitation until full crop-loss compensation was disbursed and farm loans waived. He said factors such as population, social justice, and adequate representation of SCs, STs, Backward Classes, and minorities should be considered while allocating reserved seats. He visited the ruined maize fields of farmers Ismail and Ramesh, who suffered total crop failure despite taking agricultural loans worth lakhs of rupees. He cited farmer suicides linked to mounting debt and pressure from microfinance lenders, including recent incidents in Kadur and neighbouring Chikkamagaluru district. He claimed that no seats had been reserved for the BCM-A category in Alur and Sakleshpur, adversely affecting smaller communities. Questioning the Congress govt’s claim of prioritising Ahinda communities, he demanded an explanation for the alleged disparity.
Shivamogga : JD(S) youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy on Monday accused the state govt of apathy towards the agrarian crisis and warned that farmers across Karnataka would march to Bengaluru and lay siege to Vidhana Soudha unless relief measures were expedited. Speaking to reporters on Monday, former minister HK Kumaraswamy alleged that Alur and Sakleshpur taluks had been denied fair representation.