BELAGAVI: The suicide of a debt-ridden cane farmer last week and the dues sugar factories owe farmers will once again rock the Belagavi assembly session set to begin here on June 29. Farmers' organizations and the BJP are set to corner the chief minister on the crisis brewing in the farming community. 

The November 2013 winter session was marred by the suicide of farmer Vittal Arabhavi from Kankanwadi village in Raibag taluk. Arabhavi consumed poison in front of the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha when the session was in progress. The suicide led to widespread protests by farmers across north Karnataka districts forcing chief minister Siddaramaiah to announce an additional Rs 150 as support price for per tonne sugarcane. 

Last week Gurunath Chapgaon, 55, of Badal Ankalagi village of Belagavi taluk committed suicide by consuming pesticide. Hinting at Gurunath's death as an issue to fight anti-farmer policies of the government during the session, Kurubur Shantakumar, state president of Karnataka Sugarcane Farmers Association, met the family members of the farmer on Friday. He announced a massive protest and hunger strike during the session. 

Shantakumar demanded that the government file criminal cases against Malaprabha Cooperative Sugar factory of MK Hubli and penalize it Rs 25 lakh and transfer the same amount to the victim's family. He alleged that the farmer committed suicide because the sugar factory delayed in its payment. 

According to Sugar (Control) Order, factories must pay farmers within 14 days of sugarcane supply, which did not happen in this case. He also demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation to the farmer's family. Farmer forums have threatened Mallikarjun Jakati, state president of Karnataka Krishi Sangh and Basavaraj Malali, district president of Karnataka Rajya Raitha to stage a protest in front of district minister Satish Jarkiholi's residence demanding clearance of sugarcane dues for 2013-14.