Running out of patience, farmers’ associations agitating for a solution to Mahadayi row, have warned both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party against playing politics over the issue and have asked the parties to resolve it at the earliest.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Kalasa-Banduri Nala Horata Samithi president Vijay Kulkarni and Bharatiya Krishik Samaj (Samyukt) state president Sidgouda Modgi said they were not surprised that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had suddenly called off the crucial Oct.21-meeting with the Chief Ministers of three riparian States - Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra - to find an out of court solution to the vexed Mahadayi water sharing dispute.
They said though the meeting has been called off on the pretext of the health condition of the Goa Chief Minister, it could have been held with Goa deputing its concerned minister for water resources. The Maharashtra Chief Minister was protecting the interest of the Goa government which was also headed by BJP, they said.
Mr. Kulkarni also took a strong exception to the Congress government in the State. He said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was not exhibiting same degree of concern and efforts in respect to Mahadavi row as he was for protecting the interests of farmers of Cauvery basin. The bias is not difficult to understand, which however, was a broader issue of debate at a later stage.
He said both Congress and BJP should make their stands clear on Mahadayi dispute during the Winter session to be held in Belagavi from Nov.21, else they would face the wrath of the farmers.
Mr. Modgi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take a lead in resolving inter-state disputes through consensus, while advicing State governments against formulating populist and vote bank-centred schemes and programmes.
Protest
Meanwhile, Mr. Modgi said various farmers’ associations would sit together and plan a massive protest on issues of pending dues to sugarcane farmers, announcement of State Advise Price for sugarcane for 2016-17 and Mahadayi dispute in front of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, where the winter session would be held next month.
The government had turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to our woes. The ongoing satyagraha launched in front of D.C. Office completed one year and 50 days on Thursday. Can any elected government be so insensitive to the people’s problems, Mr. Modgi asked.
