H.D. Kumaraswamy says his party stands with sugarcane growers

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy has said his party always stands with sugarcane growers on their genuine demands, and that he will personally take up the issue with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.

Speaking to reporters in Hassan on Sunday (October 18, 2026), Mr. Kumaraswamy said Mr. Joshi, the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, had discussed the issue with the Union Agriculture Minister and formed a committee to examine the farmers’ demands. The Union government was awaiting the committee’s report. “Let us see what the committee recommends,” he said.

The Union Government was waiting for the report from the committee. “Let us see what would be the recommendations of the committee”, he said.

Responding to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s assurances to the protesting farmers, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he had expected the Chief Minister to announce relief immediately, given that he had visited the protesters in Belagavi amid the Dasara celebrations. Instead, Mr. Shivakumar had told them he would convene a meeting of growers and factory owners after the festival. “Let us see what decisions he takes after the meeting,” he said.

The former Chief Minister said he and his party would always stand by farmers. During his own tenure as Chief Minister, he said, his government had waived farm loans, including those taken from nationalised banks.