A federation of all the organisations and associations spearheading the struggle under the ‘Kalasa-Bhandura Nala Horata Samiti’ will be formed soon. It will launch a “mass movement” seeking justice from the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal, besides the State and Central governments.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of leaders of various Samitis from nine taluks in four districts of Belagavi, Bagalkote, Dharwad and Gadag in North Karnataka region on Sunday afternoon.
The meeting was presided over by Vijay Kulkarni, founder-president of the Kalasa-Bhanduri Nala Horata Samiti, which was formed over two decades ago. He urged that unity among all associations and organisations fighting for Mahadayi waters was the need of the hour.
Senior leaders such as Basavaraj Mallali of Karnataka Rajya Raith Sangh, Kalyanrao Muchalambi from Belagavi and Basavaraj Savadi from Nargund, along with Bharatiya Krishik Samaj leaders Lingaraj Patil and Sidgoud Modgi and members of various other Kannada organisations participated.
Mr. Kulkarni, who briefed about the decisions taken at the meeting, made an earnest appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rise above party politics and act like a true parliamentarian by facilitating an out-of-court settlement of the Mahadayi dispute immediately.
He said: “Mr. Modi is protecting the interest of Goa for political reasons and has turned a deaf ear to the over two- decade-long farmers’ agitation for water in Karnataka. The Prime Minister fails to see that nearly 210 tmcft of water from the Mahadayi basin is being uselessly drained into the Arabian Sea.”
He said the Prime Minister was making tall claims of being farmer-friendly, but not willing to take a lead in resolving the dispute.
“Modi ji, if you want votes, we will give you, but first give us out rightful share of water from the Mahadayi basin, at least 7.56 tmcft.”
Decisive struggle
The meeting, which took critical note of intellectuals such as writers and social thinkers for not showing due conviction towards people’s problems and not associating with the farmers’ struggles except for offering occasional lip service for media consumption, decided to elicit support of various sections of the society, including the legal fraternity to launch a decisive mass struggle soon.
Memorandum
Later, the farmers’ leaders led by Mr.Kulkarni submitted a memorandum to the Regional Commissioner N. Jayaram demanding unconditional release of all the farmers arrested by the police during the protests in Yamnapur, Navalgund, Naragund and other parts of North Karnataka region.
