Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Thursday promised the protesting Kannada activists that the issue of implementing the Sarojini Mahishi report within the framework of law will be discussed in detail.
“We will discuss what we can do within our limits. We will also discuss the issue with opposition parties on the measures that need to initiated in this regard,” he told presspersons after a meeting with farmers in the Vidhana Soudha.
“The State government has always stood for the cause of Kannada and Kannadigas. Ours is a pro-Kannada government and we want things to be favourable for Kannadigas. The demand for more job opportunities to Kannadigas is not unreasonable,” he said.
Stating that he had met farmers from across the State and held discussions regarding agriculture and irrigation, the Chief Minister said: “I have discussed these issues for over three hours with farmers and have given a patient hearing to their problems. I will try my best to incorporate their demands in the budget.”
The farmers submitted a memorandum with 68 demands to the Chief Minister requesting that they be considered in the budget.
The demands include fair price for their produce, complete waiver of old loans and disbursal of new loans, ₹25,000 per acre drought relief to affected farmers, online trading facility in all APMCs, and initiation of legal measures for the time bound implementation of Kalasa Banduri project, Yettinahole, K.C. Valley 3rd stage project, amd Mekedatu projects.