Haveri: Former Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai has warned that farmers’ agitation will intensify if a maize procurement centre is not opened in Shiggaon at the earliest.

Addressing farmers staging a sit-in protest at the Tahsildar’s office premises in Shiggaon town on Monday, Bommai said it must be decided whether the power of farmers is greater or the power of authority. “I have stood with farmers in the past and I will continue to stand with them till the end of my life,” he asserted.

Bommai said that nearly 80 per cent of farmers in Shiggaon taluk cultivate maize and farmer organisations are demanding a fair support price purely in the interest of farmers’ welfare.

He alleged that some forces are trying to politicise and dilute the agitation. “Do not worry about such attempts. Let us fight by keeping in our hearts the image of the farmer who works hard in the fields. Farmers do not belong to any political party; rather, all political parties depend on farmers for power,” he said, assuring that he stands firmly with the farmers of Shiggaon.

Stating that the Central government has announced a minimum support price for maize, Bommai said procuring the crop is the responsibility of the State government.

He criticised the government for holding meetings for sugarcane growers but ignoring maize farmers spread across nearly 20 districts. “The government claimed it would procure 10 lakh metric tonnes, while maize is cultivated on 16 lakh hectares producing about 54 lakh metric tonnes. Farmers are in financial distress, yet ethanol companies are buying maize through middlemen instead of directly from farmers. This shows whose interests the government is protecting,” he charged. Recalling his tenure as Chief Minister, Bommai said that when maize prices crashed, his government procured every last grain at the Shiggaon APMC and even took action against exploitative agents. He also cited steps taken during fertiliser shortages and welfare initiatives such as scholarships for farmers’ children from Class 8 to PhD, Yashasvini health scheme, and subsidies for seeds, fertilisers and diesel, accusing the present government of discontinuing schemes for political reasons.

On compensation, Bommai said his government provided double the Centre’s assistance for crop loss, benefiting nearly seven lakh farmers. In contrast, he alleged that only 10 per cent of farmers have received compensation under the present government.

He demanded that the Tahsildar immediately submit a report and announce a date for opening a maize procurement centre in Shiggaon, warning of a militant protest otherwise. Young leader Bharat Bommai was present on the occasion.