Efforts begin to unite Mahadayi agitators

In a major effort to rejuvenate the Mahadayi agitation by bringing together different organisations engaged in the struggle, leaders of different organisations on Monday decided to intensify the agitation under a single banner, to pressurise the Union government to implement the Mahadayi Trbunal's verdict.

Observing that the heterogeneous nature of the agitation helped politicians to mislead the people, the meeting resolved to achieve unity among Mahadayi agitators, and to constitute a committee comprising prominent agitators, to chalk out the details of the agitation.

The meeting also decided to call a meeting of MPs and MLAs of the region asking them to make efforts to get the Mahadayi Tribunal's verdict notified in the Centre Gazette, and to resume the works of the Kalasa-Banduri project. After the meeting entrusted the responsibility of calling this meeting with MLC Basavaraj Horatti, he stated that the meeting would be convened in Hubballi on January 5.

Horatti's leadership

"A 25-member committee comprising prominent Mahadayi agitators including Veeresh Sobaradmath, Shankar Ambali, and Lokanath Hebsur will be formed, to chalk out the plan for protests to be staged before the State Legislature's session to be held next month," Horatti said

Let the farmers' leaders take the leadership, and I will just guide them. I will take leadership only if they decide so, he added.

'Voice in Session'

Horatti also assured that the Mahadayi issue would be the first topic to be raised on the first day of the Winter Session of the State Legislature, through an adjournment motion.

"Like teachers' organisations which come together during the struggle for teachers' welfare, all organisations attached with Mahadayi issue would be brought together to intensify the struggle, so that it should reach the logical end," he said.

The committee to be constituted in two days would finalise the details of the protests, and it would consult the farmers' leaders across the Malaprabha command area, he noted.

Protests planned

The meeting also decided to stage a massive protest during the Winter Session of the State Legislature. If needed, the protest would be staged in Delhi too during the budget session of the Parliament, the meeting resolved.

Former MLA N H Konaraddi noted that members of the committee to be formed would visit all the 13 taluks in Malaprabha command area, and would convince the farmers' leaders and other organisations to join the agitation.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa should call an all-party meeting, and should convince the Union Government to withdraw the order suspending forest clearance given for Kalasa Banduri project and to notify the Mahadayi Tribunal's verdict in the Central Gazette. Like Late Ananth Kumar, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi should work as an effective link between State and Centre, he added.

Vikas Soppin, Mahesh Pattar, Amrut Ijari, Rajanna Koravi, Rajashekhar Menasinkai, Devanand Jagapur, Shivanand Kallur, Babajan Mudhol, and others were present.

Farmers' leaders Veerabasappa Hugar, Basavaraj Karigar, and others were felicitated, on the occasion of the National Farmers' Day.

Later, memoranda were submitted to the prime minister and chief minister, through the tahsildar, seeking steps to divert water from Mahadayi basin to Malaprabha river, as per the Mahadayi Tribunal's verdict.