Lingayat issue: MHA forwards proposal to Minority Affairs Ministry
Begnaluru: The Home Ministry has forwarded the state government's recommendation to grant religious minority status to the Lingayats to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, saying the issue is beyond its jurisdiction, an official said on Thursday.
"The proposal to grant the minority status on Lingayats and Veerashaivas in Karnataka has been sent to the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The matter is now being dealt by it," the Home Ministry official said.
The Home Ministry had put up the proposal to the Registrar General and Census Commissioner for detailed examination and suggestions and it was later decided to sent it to the Minority Affairs Ministry, he added.
The official said the issue was "beyond the MHA jurisdiction and hence was forwarded to the Ministry of Minorities Affairs, which is the competent authority to take a decision."
According to the official, a decision on the issue is not expected soon as the Model Code of Conduct has come into force in Karnataka, where Assembly elections are due on May 12.
On March 19, the Karnataka government had decided to declare the Lingayats as a religious minority, as well as include Veerashaivas as a group within the community. The state then forwarded the proposal to the Centre for approval and notification under the National Commission for Minorities Act.
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Farmers in Chincholi demand better MSP, accuse sugar factory owners of not fulfilling assurance
Kalaburagi: Members of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS) and the Taluk Raitha Hitarakshana Samiti protested outside the Siddasiri Ethanol Power Unit in Chincholi, demanding appropriate minimum support price (MSP) to sugarcane farmers in Chincholi.
Pointing out that it was decided at the meeting chaired by District In-charge Minister Priyank Kharge on November 15 to provide farmers an MSP of Rs 2,950 per tonne of sugarcane with an additional Rs 50 as support price from sugar factory owners, the protesting farmers also demanded that the decision be implemented.
“The Siddasiri sugar factory owner has violated the agreement by paying each farmer only Rs 2,550,” the farmers have alleged.
President of the KPRS Kalaburagi District Unit Sharanabasappa Mamashetti said, “When he opened the factory, legislator Basanagouda Patil Yatnal had assured that the factory would pay farmers in Kalaburagi an additional Rs 100, but has failed to live up to the word.”
The protesting farmers have demanded that the authorities concerned give priority to sugarcane farmers of Chincholi and Kalagi taluks to support the sugarcane crop. “Also, the factories should employ local youngsters and due measures should be taken to ensure the safety of the drivers of sugarcane transport vehicles,” they said.
They also handed their memorandum to Tahsildar Subbanna Jamakhandi and Power Ethanol Unit General Manager Dayananda Banagara.
The Tahsildar has assured that a meeting with the sugar factory owners would be held to discuss the issues raised by the farmers.
