People's Democracy

POLICE brutalities are on an increase in various parts of Karnataka that has become a favourite destination of the multinational corporations (MNCs). In its drive to implement the Fund-Bank policies, the state government controlled by the Congress party has been suppressing the growing protest against these policies with the help of the police.

In December, in one such incident at Gulbarga, hometown of the state’s home minister Mallikarjun Kharge, the agitating farmers were brutally lathicharged and indiscriminately fired upon, when they were peacefully picketing before the office of Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. They were demanding 12 hours of uninterrupted power supply in rural areas, withdrawal of the hike in power tariff for irrigation pump sets (IP sets) which has been kept in abeyance, and stop to privatisation of the power sector.

More than 100 farmers were injured in this police lathicharge and firing, while 53 farmers were arrested. These included Maruthi Manpade, president of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS, affiliated to the AIKS). Manpade, who is also a member of the CPI(M) state secretariat, was severely beaten inside the police station, right in front of arrested farmers, on the plea that he was responsible for the unrest. The picketing was jointly organised by the KPRS, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Gulbarga Jilla Abhivrudhi Horata Samiti. Various eminent personalities like B R Patil, former deputy chairman of the state’s legislative council, Hanumantha Rao Desai, former MLA from Jaipur in Gulbarga district, a retired SP and a retired IAS officer who are now farming their lands, were also among the agitating farmers. This reflects the intensity of the crisis in the agricultural sector.

Apart from the lathicharge, firing and beating inside the police station, false cases of dacoity were also foisted on the agitators, particularly on Maruthi Manpade, with the intention that they do not get released from the jail. Ironically, dacoities are taking place in the state everyday. The police have failed to nab the actual dacoits who roaming scot-free, whereas the social workers who fight for the cause of the people were jailed under section 192 of the Indian Penal Code and treated like dacoits.

This was the second time after the S M Krishna-led Congress government came to power in the state, that such police atrocities have been unleashed against the farmers at Gulbarga. Previously, on February 5, the farmers and the youth supporting the farmers’ cause were beaten up severely by the police and jailed.

In his budget speech in March 2001, the chief minister cum finance minister S M Krishna had said that uninterrupted power supply for 12 hours would be ensured for the rural areas. But the fact is that farmers are not getting power even for 6 hours a day. Even in these 6 hours, there are power cuts 3 or 4 times. Besides, due to low voltage, farmers cannot lift the water with their pump sets. Therefore the farmers, marginal as well as rich, are facing severe hardships. The crash in the prices of agricultural produce has further driven them to the wall. Meanwhile, the state government effected an increase in power tariff through the Karnataka state electricity regulatory commission.

The KPRS took up this issue in right earnest and organised united action in the name of IP Set Users Struggle Committee. Dharnas, rasta roko and other forms of protest were undertaken. Ultimately the state government was forced to withhold the proposed increase in power tariff for one year.

Though the increase in power tariff was kept in abeyance for a year, irregular power supply has ruined the farmers. Because of low voltage and intermittent power cuts, their pump sets were destroyed. Already the farmers in Gulbarga, like elsewhere in Karnataka and the country, were severely affected by a crash in the prices of their produce. Therefore the farmers assembled in large numbers before the KPTCL office at Gulbarga as their very survival is at stake. It is not just fortuitous that, out of about 160 suicides that have taken place in Karnataka in the last two years, more than 60 per cent took place in Gulbarga and the adjacent Bidar districts.

The CPI(M) state committee has condemned the police atrocities and demanded the institution of a judicial enquiry. The KPRS organised a statewide protest on December 10. Leaders of other secular and democratic organisations like K H Srinivas, JD(S) leader of opposition in legislative council, have severely condemned the incident. B R Patil (former deputy chairman of legislative council) and H R Desai (former MLA), both from Gulbarga, also condemned the incident.

The state government, which is bent upon privatising the power generation and transmission, is thinking of installing meters for the IP sets (at present the tariff is fixed on horsepower basis). Though no meters could be installed thanks to the sustained struggle, the government has started collection of thousands of rupees from farmers in the name of arrears for the last 10-15 years.

Recently again at Vittalenahalli, a village in Bangalore Rural district, the police fired at the agitating farmers, killing two. These farmers were demanding permission for tapping neera from their mite-affected coconut trees. The Congress(I) government, that is backing the liquor lobby, did not allow neera tapping. Later, however, it had to bow down to the agitation.

Two months ago, in yet another incident, students and teachers of the Agriculture University in Bangalore were brutally beaten by the police. The students were protesting against the hand-over of the 100 acres of prime land in the campus to an MNC for constructing a Biotech Park. Ultimately, the state government succumbed and the land was restored to the university.

On December 13, at Chikkamagalur, the police lathicharged coffee growers who had given a call for a Chikkamagalur bandh, in protest against the crash in coffee prices.

It is unfortunate that, rather than opposing the anti-people policies being thrust by the centre at the behest of the WTO and World Bank, the hi-tech chief minister S M Krishna’s government has been striving to suppress the growing struggles of farmers and other working people. But the people of Karnataka are determined to raise their voice of protest against these policies, come what may. (INN)