Belagavi: Sugarcane farmers in Karnataka have announced a ‘Jail Bharo’ agitation from Gurlapur to Hindalga prison in Belagavi on Monday, escalating their week-long protest over cane prices and delayed action on their demands.
The announcement was made by Chunnappa Pujari, state president of the Karnataka State Farmers’ Association and Green Army, according to a report. He said farmers had continued their demonstrations in the open despite the heat, but had not received a favourable response from the authorities.
At the centre of the dispute is the farmers’ demand for a payment of ₹4,500 per tonne from sugar factories, along with a further ₹1,000 per tonne from the state government. Taken together, the farmers are seeking support amounting to ₹5,500 per tonne. The structure of the demand places the issue between factory-level cane payments and direct state assistance, making it both a farm-income question and a matter of government policy.
Protest moves towards civil disobedience
Pujari said the agitation would continue until the demands were accepted. The decision to court arrest marks a shift from street demonstrations to a form of civil disobedience designed to intensify pressure on the government and sugar factory owners. Farmers have indicated that they are prepared to be arrested in large numbers rather than withdraw the campaign.
“The farmers are prepared to go to jail in large numbers if necessary,” Pujari said.
The proposed march from Gurlapur to Hindalga prison gives the agitation a specific Belagavi focus. While the dispute concerns sugarcane prices across Karnataka, the planned action is expected to bring the farmers’ demands into sharper public and administrative focus in the district. The movement also adds a law-and-order dimension to what has so far been a prolonged price protest.
Political criticism and mobilisation
Pujari alleged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had shown little concern for the farmers’ grievances and accused the state government of following anti-farmer policies. Farmers at the protest site also organised a mock funeral procession of the Chief Minister and raised slogans against the state government and sugar factory owners. These actions underline the increasingly political character of the agitation, even as its principal demand remains linked to cane remuneration.
The protest has also developed a support network around the participating farmers. The agitation received financial assistance on Sunday, while members of the public contributed rotis and food grains. The contributions indicate that the campaign is being sustained not only through public demonstrations but also through community-level support for food and other basic requirements.
Demands at a glance
- Factory payment sought: ₹4,500 for every tonne of sugarcane.
- State assistance sought: An additional ₹1,000 per tonne.
- Next action: A ‘Jail Bharo’ march from Gurlapur to Hindalga prison.
- Position of protesters: The agitation will continue until the demands are accepted.
| Demand | Amount | Paying side sought by farmers |
|---|---|---|
| Cane price | ₹4,500 per tonne | Sugar factories |
| Additional support | ₹1,000 per tonne | Karnataka government |
Shashikant Guruji, Sadashiva Kavatagi Swamiji, Mallappa Angadi, Shreeshail Angadi, Rajkumar Jambigi and M C Tamboli were among those present at the protest, along with hundreds of farmers. The participants also marked Karnataka Rajyotsava at the site, combining the state’s cultural observance with a public campaign over agricultural income.
For Belagavi, the immediate significance lies in the convergence of a local prison-bound march, a large farmer mobilisation and a dispute involving the region’s sugar industry. Unless there is movement on the price and assistance demands, the farmers’ stated readiness to face arrest suggests that the protest is likely to remain a prominent issue in the district’s public and political space.
