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 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 visited the ruined maize fields of farmers Ismail and Ramesh, who suffered total crop failure despite taking agricultural loans worth lakhs of rupees.Kumaraswamy said JD(S) would continue its agitation until full crop-loss compensation was disbursed and farm loans waived. He cited farmer suicides linked to mounting debt and pressure from microfinance lenders, including recent incidents in Kadur and neighbouring Chikkamagaluru district.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.He demanded compensation of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per acre, swift joint surveys for timely Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana payments, fodder banks for livestock and state aid to treat diseases such as leaf spot.JD(S) alleges flaws in reservation rosterThe 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. Speaking to reporters on Monday, former minister HK Kumaraswamy alleged that Alur and Sakleshpur taluks had been denied fair representation. 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 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.
