JOIN USCB Pur, Kolar to shut down for water tomorrow
With no positive response from the government to the indefinite strike demanding permanent irrigation scheme – that recently completed 50 days – the protesters have now decided to hold a district bandh on Thursday.
The protesters have been demanding implementation of the recommendations made by irrigation expert Dr Paramashivaiah in his report.
The bandh will be held in Chikkaballapur, Kolar and Bangalore Rural districts. The organisers have said they will not allow any vehicles to ply on the national highways on Thursday.
During the 50-day protest, the protesters witnessed both positive and negative sides of the people’s representatives, in terms of support and disassociation from the cause. In one instance, Union ministers Veerappa Moily and Muniyappa had met the protesters and received a memorandum from them. Moily had urged them to withdraw the protest stating that he had spoken to Irrigation Minister Basavaraj Bommai in this regard. When Moily left without providing answers to the protesters’ query, the protesters shouted slogans against him. Muniyappa said he was with them.
Similar bitter-sweet moments were witnessed even when former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and H D Kumaraswamy met the protesters. Yeddyurappa said, “Had I been given some more time as chief minister, the irrigation project would have been a reality.
I will support your fight for water, irrespective of whether I become the chief minister or not in future.” But JD(S) State president H D Kumaraswamy had urged the agitators to withdraw the protest, which did not go well with the protesters. “Since the elections are due in March or April, it is not the right time to protest. The government, which will be focusing on elections, will not meet your demand. Hence, stop protesting and wait till April,” Kumaraswamy had said. But this did not deter the protesters from continuing their agitation.
Although the protesters had decided to protest against the legislators and parliamentarians — if they did not support them — in front of their houses and offices, they have now changed their mind following a call for peaceful protest by Nirmalanandanatha Swami of Adichunchanagiri Mutt. A special meeting scheduled to mark 50 days of the protest was not convened and also a new struggle committee consisting new leaders from three districts was not formed, a supporter of the agitation committee told Deccan Herald.