District BJP to hold mass protest rally against ban on arecanut on Jan 2

District BJP to hold mass protest rally against ban on arecanut on Jan 2

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Dec 21, 2013: Former chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda said that District BJP will stage mass protest rally in city on January 2, Thursday against central government’s decision of banning arecanut.

Speaking at the press meet held at District BJP Office on Dec 21, Saturday, he said that around 50,000 arecanut farmers along with party activists will take out a rally from Jyothi Circle  and hold a protest meet  at Nehru Maidan.

Gowda also said that the State government has failed to protect the interests of arecanut farmers and indirectly supports the centre to implement the ban on arecanut. 

Over two lakh arecanut growers and five lakh people are indirectly depending on the arecanut to earn their living. But the state government is not taking any measures to protect them, he stated.

He also said that, when BJP was in the state, a panel of advocates was set up to protect the arecanut farmers in the state. Unfortunately, the Congress government has dissolved it and not taken any interest to form a new panel. Hence the State government must immediately form a panel of advocates, who will fight for arecanut farmers.

Gowda said that BJP had supported the government, during gutkha ban, since it is hazardous to health, but there is no point in banning arecanut, which has several medicinal properties. The State government must make sincere effort to bring the facts of arecanut before the Supreme Court and help the growers, he urged.