Vatal Nagaraj, president of the Kannada Okkoota, has set August 9 as the deadline for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take a decision to release the farmers arrested following the protest against the interim verdict of the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal.
“If the Chief Minister fails to take a decision, leaders of all Kannada organisations will start an indefinite dharna outside the Ballari Central Prison from August 10,” he told presspersons after meeting the arrested farmers here on Saturday.
Mr. Nagaraj trained his guns at all MPs from the State too, particularly from the BJP, for politicising the issue and also for their failure to convince the Prime Minister to intervene in the issue.
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“The agitation for Mahadayi waters was going on for long and not even once these MPs staged a dharna in the well of Parliament to highlight the plight of the people of North Karnataka and pressure the Prime Minister to resolve the issue. Narendra Modi visited the State thrice and they did not take up any efforts to convince him to protect the interests of the State,” he said.
Mr. Nagaraj urged the MPs to meet the Prime Minister again along with their resignation letters to prevail upon him to intervene in the matter and tender them if he did not agree. “All MPs and Union Ministers should resign to protect the interests of the farmers and the State,” he said.
K.R. Kumar, president of the Kannada Sene, was present.
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