Hassan (Karnataka) [India], October 20 (ANI): Janata Dal (Secular) party leaders staged a protest on Sunday near the main entrance of the Hasanamba Temple, alleging that the district administration official showed disrespect to Union Minister and JD(S) state president HD Kumaraswamy.

During the protest, the situation turned chaotic as hundreds of people blocked the road. So, due to this, the police struggled to disperse the growing crowd of JD(S) workers.

The protesters accused the district authorities of deliberately ignoring Kumaraswamy during the temple visit, calling the act an insult to their leader.

JD(S) MLA Swaroop Prakash condemned the incident, saying, 'The district administration disrespected Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy when he visited the temple... they completely neglected him. So all the party workers are going for the protest.'

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries, HD Kumaraswamy, inaugurated the 3rd Agricultural Insect Biocontrol Expo and the 33rd Foundation Day celebration of the ICAR-National Bureau of Agricultural Insect Resources (NBAIR) in Bengaluru on Sunday.

Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Ministry of Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje and Bengaluru Rural MP CN Manjunath were present on the occasion.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Kumaraswamy stated that more farmers should come forward to cultivate pulses along with crops like paddy. This will reduce the import of pulses. The Central Government has implemented several schemes for the welfare of farmers and is supporting every area of the agricultural sector. He affirmed that the government is committed to the welfare and upliftment of farmers.

He mentioned that pesticides lower soil fertility and, therefore, farmers should prioritise organic farming. He added that ICAR-NBAIR is working in this direction to strengthen the farmers. He further stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has become one of the world's top five economic powers and is set to become the third-largest economic power. (ANI)