Sugarcane farmers stopped from marching towards Belagavi for ‘Jail Bharo’ protest

Police arrested over 100 sugarcane farmers who were participating in the ‘Jail Bharo’ protest in Belagavi on November 5. The arrested farmers include frontline leaders Chunappa Pujeri, Shashikant Padasalagi Guruji, and Prem Chougala.

Mr. Pujeri and Mr. Chougala were arrested from the Mukti math premises on the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway while Mr. Guruji and others were arrested near Mudalagi where they were leading a padayatra (march).

The arrests follow a prohibitory order issued under BNSS 163 by the district administration. The order banned all protests along the National Highway, the Hindalaga jail, and some other areas. This was in response to the ‘Jail Bharo’ (fill prisons) agitation call given by the leaders.

Differences emerged among farmers over acceptance of an offer of ₹3,600 per tonne by sugar factories to cane suppliers. This price was arrived at during a late-night meeting on November 3 of farmers and representatives of factory-owners chaired by PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who owns a sugar factory.

While most of the leaders who participated in the meeting had agreed to the price, they had put a condition that the government of Karnataka had to compensate them by offering ₹1,000 per tonne as State Advised Price. However, when the leaders came out to announce the decision before the media, some farmers waiting outside objected, saying their leaders had settled for less. Members of some factions in Kittur , Gokak, and Khanapur, had visited factories on November 4, asking them to start harvest and transport activities.

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene leaders blocked the Pune Bengaluru-National Highway on October 11. They began a padayatra to Hubballi three days later. Karnataka’s Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar met them in Kittur on October 17. He convened two meetings of farmers and factory owners in the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on October 26. He asked the two sides to come to an understanding in two days. But after that deadline ended, farmers began a padayatra from Gurlapur to Belagavi. After two meetings failed to break the deadlock, they announced a ‘jail bharo’ protest.