Mahadayi agitators block NH in Navalgund for an hour

The indefinite Mahadayi agitation being staged by the farmers in Navalgund in Dharwad district, entered the 800th day on Tuesday. Expressing their displeasure over poor response by the State and the Union Governments in solving Mahadayi crisis, the agitators blocked the Hubballi-Vijaypur national highway in the town for an hour.

They raised slogans against both the governments for neglecting their demand of implementing Mahadayi and Kalasa-Banduri projects. Traffic movement came to a standstill on the highway for an hour. Passengers faced inconvenience.

Addressing the protesters, Pakshatheeta Horata Samithi’s President Lokanath Hebasur said, they have been staging agitation since 800 days seeking immediate solution for Mahadayi crisis. They tried to drag the governments’ attention towards their problems by staging different forms of agitations including hunger strike and they also faced police atrocity. However, instead of solving their problems, the State and the Union Governments are cheating them by passing their responsibility on one another, he charged.

He stated that Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar had assured them of convincing Goa Chief Minister in Mahadayi issue. However, Mr Shettar failed to keep his promise. On the other hand, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too was not exerting pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find out a permanent solution to the crisis.

They had withdrawn their recent hunger strike after Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Karjagi assured them to take steps to address their problems in a week. However, they were insulted without calling them to any meeting, he expressed unhappiness. The protesters said, several decisions were taken at a meeting held at Raitha Bhavana on Tuesday.

Elected representatives of all political parties would not be allowed to enter into the rural areas. Besides, they will gherao the elected representatives who will arrive to take part in any political programme, the agitators warned.