Members of the Mahadayi Kalasa Banduri Horata Samanvaya Samiti staged a protest here on Friday demanding that a special legislature session be convened at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi over the Mahadayi river water sharing issues.
The samiti members urged the state government to not differentiate between Cauvery issue and the Mahadayi row as both were crucial for the people of the state.
Staging a demonstration in front of Sangolli Rayanna’s statue near the Idgah Maidan in Hubballi on Friday, the protestors appreciated the efforts made by the state government to arrive at a consensus on the Cauvery issue and the convening of the special legislature session.
“Just like Cauvery, which is crucial for the people of south Karnataka, the four-decade-old Mahadayi- Kalasa Banduri issue is important for the people of north Karnataka. The state government should convene a special legislature session at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi as it did in the case of Cauvery,” said Vikas Soppin, samiti convenor.
Mr. Soppin said that while the leaders and legislators of south Karnataka had taken up responsibility and arrived at a consensus on Cauvery issue, leaders of north Karnataka should take up the responsibility of forming a consensus on the Mahadayi issue and make united efforts to resolve the issue through dialogue with the neighbouring states of Goa and Maharashtra.
The protestors condemned the action of BJP leaders who had boycotted the all-party meeting.
Dharna
Meanwhile, members of Mahadayi and Karnataka Kalasa Banduri Raita Horata Samiti staged a dharna in front of Ambedkar’s statue near Head Post Office seeking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to resolve the Mahadayi row. They also demanded withdrawal of all cases filed against farmers during the recent violent protests over Mahadayi at Navalgund and Naragund taluks.
