Mandya: Urging for running the near century old  State-owned MySugar factory under the Government itself, farmers under the banner of Mandya District Raitha Hitarakshana Samiti staged a demonstration in front of Sir M. Visvesvaraya statue at Mandya yesterday.

Demanding that office of the Commissioner for Sugar at Bengaluru and Sugarcane Research Centre at Mandya must not be shifted to Belagavi for any reason, the farmers asked the Government to make an announcement on continuing the factory under the Government, at the ongoing Legislature Session.

Accusing the BJP Government of making efforts to lease out the factory to private players, they alleged that the Government is not showing any interest for beginning crushing operations at the factory. They warned of launching a massive demonstration if the Government fails to make any announcement on resuming MySugar factory operations at the earliest.

Legislators M. Srinivas, K.T. Srikantegowda and N. Appajigowda, KPCC Member M.D. Jayaram, farmer leader Sunanda Jayaram, CITU leader C. Kumari and leaders of several other organisations took par in the protest.