Govt yet to dig out truth in Haveri firing incident

Haveri: The infamous Haveri firing incident, that took place on June 10, 2008, still remains a mystery. Two farmers were killed in the golibar just a day after B S Yediyurappa’s installation as the chief minister.
The tragic incident took place at Hosamani Siddappa Circle when farmers were protesting for seeds and fertilisers, giving a block spot to the first BJP government in Karnataka. Yediyurappa had ordered a judicial inquiry, and also set up a commission headed by Supreme Court former Justice K Jagannath Shetty for the purpose.
However, the commission’s report was rejected by the Congress government led by former chief minister Siddaramaiah.The successive governments led by Siddaramaiah, H D Kumaraswamy (coalition government) and Yediyurappa (incumbent BJP government) — are yet to reconstitute another commission for a proper inquiry into the incident.
There has been no update from the government still. This, despite Yediyurappa being the chief minister again, and two key ministers coming from Haveri district — home minister Basavaraj Bommai and agriculture minister B C Patil.
Farmers and people are still waiting for action against the offenders.
Mallikarjun Ballari, general secretary of Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and Hasiru Sene (Haveri district), said after the rejection of Justice Jagannath Shetty Commission Report, the incident has remained a mystery. “The government is yet to set up another inquiry agency to dig out the truth. Political parties Congress, JD(S) and BJP have politicising the incident for over a decade,” he said, adding: “Victims are still waiting for justice. The BJP government should decide on this at the earliest.”
When contacted, Patil said this is a sensitive issue. “We will decide after discussing it with the chief minister and the home minister,” he added.
Bommai was not available for a comment.
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Two farmers fell in firing line
Two farmers — Siddalingappa Churi and Puttappa Honnati — were killed and some others injured in the police firing while they were demanding fertilisers. Eighteen months after the incident, the commission presented its report (in two volumes) to the then home minister, late V S Acharya. The report had given a clean chit to CM Yediyurappa. It had also mentioned that those killed were not farmers. “The violence was politically motivated, and did not occur owing to the fertiliser crises in the district,” the report observed.
However, the dependents of the two deceased got compensation jobs and aid from the government. But the injured victims, some of whom have become disabled now, are yet to get appropriate compensation.