Bengaluru/Belagavi: KarnatakaDeputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday blamed the Centre for the maize growers’ problems in the state. Speaking to reporters on the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha premises in Bengaluru ahead of the Legislative session in Belagavi, he also took a dig at the BJP MPs for keeping mum on the issue.

“The Centre has to answer to the problems of North Karnataka. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and I have taken some strong decisions pertaining to maize procurement which will burden the state government financially, but the Centre has not spoken a word on the issue and the BJP MPs have not raised their voice. Aren’t they concerned about it,” Shivakumar asked.

The Deputy CM also hit out at the Haveri MP and former CM Basavaraj Bommai for not speaking on the matter. “Bommai has said that the state government has to buy it, but what’s Centre’s share? Who decides the Minimum Support Price (MSP)? It’s they (Centre) who decide MSP. They have not taken any decision yet,” Shivakumar alleged.

He added that the state government will give compensation to the farmers, but the Centre is also responsible.”Why hasn’t Bommai raised the issue in parliament? Why he did not meet the PM and agriculture minister,” he asked. The maize growers have been demanding procurement at Rs 3,000 per quintal. The current MSP is Rs 2,400 per quintal, and farmers are seeking a Rs 600 bonus.