The Town Police took 50 BJP workers into custody on Thursday for trying to lay siege to Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam in protest against the release of water to Tamil Nadu. They were later released.
The BJP workers tried to cross the barricades erected by the police department at the main entrance of the dam and also pelted stones at police vehicles. Police personnel took them into custody and brought the situation under control.
Around 50 people, including former MP Tejaswini Ramesh, T Sridhar, S Devaraju and Puttaraju were taken into custody. They were kept at the Engineering Research Centre near KRS for sometime and later released.
There was a heated exchange of words between BJP workers and the police personnel when Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Executive Engineer Basavarajegowda explained that it is not possible to immediately stop water as orders have to be followed.
They raised slogans against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Water Resources Minister M B Patil and Cauvery Neeravari Nigama by stating that they were meting out injustice to farmers in Cauvery basin.
Tejaswini Ramesh told reporters that the government should release water to canals and fill lakes and ponds in the district. If the release of water is not stopped, party workers, along with women and children will stage a mega protest on the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway, she warned.
‘Fight for farmers’
Tejaswini criticise d MP C S Puttaraju for not raising his voice on the issue. “Puttaraju, who tries to issue a threat against those who speak about him should be called ‘Dhamki’ Raju. The MP should join hands with farmers and fight for their cause,” she demanded.
