Hemavathi link canal row: K'taka BJP slams Cong govt for filing FIRs against MLAs, seers

Bengaluru, June 2 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP on Monday came down heavily on the Congress-led government for filing FIRs against MLAs and seers over protests against the Hemavathi Express Link Canal Project in the Tumakuru region.

BJP state President B.Y. Vijayendra said on Monday that the action of filing FIRs against MLAs, farmer activists, and the revered seers of various religious institutions from Tumakuru district, who participated in the agitation, is highly condemnable.

"Instead of coordinating with the elected representatives of Tumakuru district in connection with the Hemavathi Link Canal struggle and finding an appropriate solution to the people's demands, efforts are being made to suppress the movement," Vijayendra stated.

"The Congress government, which should have been addressing the issues faced by farmers and fighting for their various demands, is instead creating a situation where our own people are forced to fight among themselves... The impression being created around the Hemavathi Link Canal issue is that the government is adopting a divide-and-rule policy and has sparked this controversy for political gain. The government led by Congress in Karnataka is directly responsible for this," Vijayendra said.

He demanded that the government immediately convene an all-party meeting and hold discussions with the elected representatives, key figures, and farmer leaders of the concerned districts. "It should act promptly to strengthen the sense of brotherhood and harmony among the people of these districts and arrive at a permanent solution to the issue," he demanded.

"The government must understand clearly that the anger expressed by the farming community, the public, and the elected representatives of Tumakuru district stems from their concern for the people and for farmers, and is not directed against anyone...I urge the government to find a just and mutually agreeable solution that not only addresses the immediate water needs of Bengaluru Rural district but also ensures fairness to all concerned regions," he urged.

Despite the strong resistance, the government has stated that it will go ahead with the project and filed 13 FIRs against more than 100 people, including BJP MLA from Tumakuru Rural Suresh Gowda, BJP MLA from Tumakuru city Jyothi Ganesh, Turuvekere JD(S) MLA M. T. Krishnappa and religious seers who took part in the protest.

Following the massive protest by the farmers and the BJP opposing the Hemavathi Express Link Canal Project, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara is visiting Tumakuru to meet the project officials and police officers to review the situation.

The work of the project has been temporarily stopped, as the protest on Saturday turned violent and threatened to disturb the law and order situation in the region.

The BJP is demanding an all-party meeting and has given a deadline of one month to the Congress-led government to halt the project. Parameshwara hails from the Tumakuru district. The situation remains tense in the region.

--IANS

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