Karnataka   

‘Sale of farmlands benefiting MNCs’

Chitradurga: Janata Dal (United) State president B. Somashekar has criticised the coalition Government for framing anti-farmer policies by amending the Land Reforms Act, which benefited only multinational companies (MNCs).

Addressing party workers ahead of the local body elections here on Wednesday, he said Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, who claimed to be pro-farmer, had disregarded them after coming back to power.

Referring to the amendments to the Land Reforms Act made by former Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hedge, he said Hedge had formulated plans to suit the needs of farmers and had given occupancy rights to unauthorised cultivators.

Former Chief Minister Devaraj Urs had also effected amendments where farm lands could be sold only to farmers.

He alleged that the present Government, under the pretext of globalisation, had been selling farmlands to MNCs.

On the issue of rampant illegal mining, he said the present Government was responsible for encouraging it, adding that it had leased out mines to legislators only in order to get their support.

During the S.M. Krishna regime, the Government had exported about 25 crore tonnes of ore, while under the present Government already over 40 million tonnes of ore had been exported, he alleged.

On the local body elections, he said the party would give 50 per cent tickets to women and 30 per cent to youth. He called upon the youth to think before casting their votes. State party secretary P.C. Reddy inaugurated the district unit office.

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