A puja and a protest were held here on Thursday as part of the farmers’ agitation on the sharing of the Mahadayi waters and the implementation of the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project.
The members of the Dharwad Zilla Archaka Purohit Jangamabhivruddhi Sangha joined the dharna launched by the Mahadayi, Kalasa Banduri Horata Samanvaya Samiti. The agitation entered the sixth day on Thursday.
The priests took out a protest march from the Moorusavir Mutt premises and performed a special puja with poorna kumbha seeking divine intervention to solve the long-pending drinking water problem, at Kittur Chennamma Circle in a pandal erected by the samanvaya samiti.
They then marched to Mini Vidhana Soudha and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister.
They were joined by members of the samiti led by Babajan Mudhol, Viranna Malagi, Siddu Teji and others, who subsequently tried to lay seige to the office of the Hubballi tahsildar. However they were intercepted by the police, which resulted in an altercation for a brief period. The protesters then staged a symbolic protest and dispersed from the premises.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Rajya Railway Abhivruddhi Horata Samiti office-bearers led by Kutubuddin Kaji extended support to the ongoing agitation by visiting the venue of the dharna on Thursday. Mr. Kaji also announced that the samiti, with the support of other organisations would lay seige to Hubballi Railway Station on Friday evening.