Bangalore, May 2.The activists of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha(KRRS) on Tuesday took out a procession in the city in support of their demands, including reintroduction of grace marks facility for rural students.

Thousands of KRRS activists from different parts of the State participated in the procession that began from the City Railway Station and culminated in a public meeting at Cubban Park.

The KRRS urged the State Government and the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court,Mr.Y.Bhaskar Rao, to ensure that grace marks facility for rural students, that was scrapped recently, was re-introduced.

The KRRS has urged the Government to set right the alleged disparity in power supply and power tariff for rural and urban areas." A uniform power supply and tariff policy for rural and urban areas should be introduced immediately," the KRRS has said.Taking into consideration, the losses suffered by farmers because of the "erratic power supply" in rural areas, the Government should waive the electricity charges due from farmers and the fines imposed on farmers by the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited(KPTCL).

Further the KRRS has charged that because of the "unnecessary import" of farm produce, prices of the agricultural commodities had come down in the domestic market, affecting farmers.

"As the Government is directly responsible for the fall in prices due to its import policy, agricultural loans borrowed by farmers from January 1, 1995, onwards should be written off," the KRRS urged.

The KRRS leaders submitted two memoranda to the KPTCL's Director(Finance), Mr.G.Gurucharan, and Mr.Bhaskar Rao.

Later, addressing the activists, the KRRS President, Prof.M.D.Nanjundaswamy, spoke about the hardships faced by farmers because of the new exim policy, globalisation and liberalisation.

Action against KRRS chief

The Cubbon Park police will book a case against Prof.Nanjundaswamy,for holding and addressing a public meeting inside Cubbon Park today,in violation of the Karnataka High Court orders.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police(Central), Mr.Gopal B.Hosur, told 'The Hindu' that a case would be taken up against Prof.Swamy and others who had organised the meeting at Cubbon Park.

Following an order by the Karnataka High Court, holding of public meetings,rallies and protest marches inside the park has been banned in the last few years.

The KRRS activists wanted to go to the Karnataka High Court to submit a memorandum to the Chief Justice,Mr.Bhaskar Rao.

As prohibitory orders were in force around the Vidhana Soudha(State Parliament) and the High Court, the protesters were stopped near the Siddalingaiah Circle,and their leaders were allowed to submit a memorandum to the Chief Justice, Mr.Y.Bhaskar Rao.

When the KRRS leaders arrived at the High Court, the women participating in he procession entered Cubbon Park to have food.However, they were joined by the others soon, and those participating in the procession gathered inside the park and the KRRS leaders who returned from the High Court addressed them.

When questioned how the KRRS leaders were allowed to hold a meeting inside Cubbon Park in violation of the order, Mr.Hosur said that the police had only allowed the women activists to have their food inside the park, and the other protestors followed suit.