CM refuses to set up House Panel on 'farm crisis'

Bangalore, Jun 25 (UNI) The JD(S) staged a walk out while the Opposition Congress continued its dharna in the Legislative Assembly for the second day today demanding the setting up of a Joint House Committee on farm crisis in the state.

When the House reassembled for the second time, JD (S) Floor Leader H D Kumarswamy led the walk out after Chief Minister B S Yaddyurappa refused to accede to the demand for the committee which would go into the details of the developments relating to farming community in the last 25 days of his government coming to power.

Mr Yaddyurappa urged the members not to make it a prestige issue and sought the cooperation of the members in solving the problem of the farming community.

He also announced various measures, including sending the Chief Secretary to New Delhi tomorrow in connection with fertiliser supply.

Stating there was no need for a such committee as the government had already set up a judicial inquiry, he questioned the fate of the reports of similar committees which dealt with farmers' suicide in the past.

The Congress, however, struck to its demand for setting up the Committee and continued the dharna with Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge charging the government with protecting black marketeers and hoarding fertilisers. This resulted in heated debate and slogan-shouting among MLAs.

The Chief Minister even threatened to take his Cabinet Ministers to New Delhi to stage a dharna demanding immediate supply of fertilisers.

Earlier, the Speaker had adjourned the House for a while following protest by both Congress and the JD (S).

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