Cong demands judicial inquiry into police firing

Gulbarga, Jun 10 (UNI) Strongly condemning the police firing on the farmers, who were agitating against shortage of fertilisers, which left one dead in Haveri, former Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh today urged the state government to order a Judicial inquiry into the incident.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr Singh alleged that the police firing on innocent farmers, who were agitating for a genuine reason, had exposed the BJP's ''false concern'' towards the farming community.

Mr Singh felt that the situation did not warrant opening fire on the farmers, who were demanding proper distribution of fertilisers.

The new government ''faltered'' within eight days of coming to power, he added.

KPCC President and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Mallikarjuna Kharge, strongly condemning the firing, threatened that the Congress would join the farmers in their agitation if the state government failed to take immediate steps to ensure adequate supply of fertilisers and seeds.

''The state government has totally failed in attending to the farmers' serious problem of shortage of fertiliser and seeds, he added.

Meanwhile, JD(S) State President Merajuddin Patel also condemned the firing on farmers and alleged that the BJP Government was ''indifferent'' to the needs of the farmers.

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