Hunsur MLA leads farmers’ protest outside MCDCC Bank 

Hunsur MLA G.D. Harish Gowda led a protest by farmers from Hunsur outside Mysuru Chamarajanagar District Co-operative Central (MCDCC) Bank in Mysuru on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram

Hunsur MLA G.D. Harish Gowda led a protest by farmers outside the Mysuru and Chamarajanagar District Co-operative Central (MCDCC) Bank in the city on Wednesday against the alleged denial of loans to farmers.

The farmers from Hunsur taluk complained that the agricultural credit co-operative societies in the taluk were denying fresh loans to farmers including the ones, who had already cleared their outstanding dues.

The farmers shouted slogans against the State government and demanded action against the management of the co-operative institutions for their alleged corrupt activities.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Gowda said alleged that several farmers, who had cleared the outstanding loan amount, were receiving notices for non-payment of dues.

The JD(S) MLA accused the management of the co-operative institutions of discriminating against the farmers. “They have divided the farmers into Congress farmers, BJP farmers and JD(S) farmers. Loans are issued on payment of bribes and under political pressure,” he alleged.

After the farmers declared that they would hold an agitation in front of the MCDCC bank on Wednesday, the applications of a few farmers have been approved, he claimed.

Mr. Gowda alleged that the government has not held elections to the co-operative societies in Mysuru for the last one year. Out of the 27 co-operative institutions, administrative officers had been appointed to as many as 11, he claimed.

Mr. Gowda, who is also a former chairman of MCDCC Bank, also alleged that the government was delaying the elections to co-operative bodies to prevent him from being elected again.

He alleged that the MCDCC bank had gone bankrupt due to poor management and sought action against the officials responsible for corrupt practices in the co-operative institutions.

He urged the government, which has set aside ₹52,000 crore per year for guarantee schemes, to provide at least ₹3,000 crore per year towards farm loans. He said he would shortly meet Co-operative Minister K.N. Rajanna as well as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the regard.