Mekedatu: Congress to resume foot march, CM mocks it

The Congress will resume its ‘Walk for Water’ demanding the implementation of the Mekedatu project from Ramanagara on Sunday.

The five-day walk will culminate at the National College ground in Basavanagudi on March 3, after covering a distance of nearly 80 km. This is the second leg of the foot march that had to end abruptly in Ramanagara in January when the third wave of the Covid-19 peaked.

The prevailing Covid-19 norms carry a ban on fairs, rallies, dharnas and protests.

On Saturday, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D K Shivakumar took a Metro ride to Basavanagudi to take stock of the preparations for the public meeting that is planned as a valedictory for the march.

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“I urge citizens to join us. This is your right, your agitation, your water. Let’s walk for it and be part of history. Your descendants will remember that you walked for the city to get water. If you register, you’ll get a certificate also,” Shivakumar told reporters.

The Mekedatu project involves constructing a balancing reservoir to regulate the flow of water to Tamil Nadu and utilise 4.75 tmc water for Bengaluru.

"Even the 7th phase of Cauvery will not provide water to 7,000 apartments in the city," senior Congress leader BK Hariprasad said.

On Sunday, the march will start from Ramanagara and end at Bidadi. On February 28, the march will stop at Kengeri. On March 1, the march will formally enter Bengaluru through Jnanabharathi and Rajarajeshwari Nagar all the way to Jayadeva junction. On March 2, the march will reach Mekhri Circle. On March 5, the final day, the march will start from Cauvery Theatre to the National College ground.

Shivakumar urged participants to use the Metro so that the city’s traffic is not affected.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai mocked the Congress. “The world knows why Congress is doing this padayatra. We know why part one happened and how it was. For Congress, only politics is important. They spoiled the Assembly session because of their politics. Outside also they want to do the same,” he said. "There are minimum Covid norms that everyone must follow."

Bandobast

The Ramanagara district administration has deployed 1,200 security personnel along with 20 platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police as bandobast for the Mekedatu march. According to Ramanagara SP K Santosh Babu, Congress has not obtained permission. He said the police will take action as per the law if Covid-19 norms are violated.

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