Congress govt busy in divisive politics, has no time for farmers: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers on Sunday launched a padayatra simultaneously from Kunigal and KB Cross to Tumakuru, demanding the release of Hemavathi river water to the waterbodies in the district.

A hoard of party leaders including former minister R Ashoka, Sureshkumar, Tumakuru Rural MLA B Sureshgowda and party leader D Krishnakumar flagged off the padayatra at Kunigal.

Addressing the party workers, D Krishnakumar said, "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has shown that he has a soft corner for Tamil Nadu by providing all luxury to AIDMK leader Sasikala, who is undergoing jail term at Central Prisons, Parappana Agrahara, in DA case. Tamil Nadu has always been taken a tough stand against Karnataka in Cauvery river water-sharing row. But here we have a government who is going all out to provide all comforts to a convict who is portrayed as next CM of Tamil Nadu. By doing so, the Congress government in the state is cheating the people," he alleged.

"Most of the reservoirs in the state are not filled owing to poor monsoon. The situation in Cauvery basin is pathetic. In such scenario, the state government is releasing water from KRS and Kabini to Tamil Nadu. Water Resources Minister M B Patil is busy trying to divide Veerashaiva-Lingayat community. The Congress government is busy playing divisive politics and have no time and will to address the water woes. The people in the state will teach them a lesson in 2018 Assembly polls," he said.

Krishnakumar took a dig at the local MLA and MP for their lack of commitment to get Hemavathi river water to the taluk and the district.

He warned of intensifying the struggle if the elected representatives of the taluk fail to fill waterbodies.

Former minister Sureshkumar said, "The politicians from Hassan and Sira are doing gross injustice to Kunigal taluk by denying its share of Hemavathi water. The local MLA and MP have failed to get river water to the taluk. The BJP has launched this agitation to get Kunigal taluk its share of river water."

Tumakuru Rural MLA B Sureshgowda, addressing the agitating party workers, said, "Hemavathi river water flowed to Tumakuru district and Kunigal taluk because of the struggle spearheaded by former ministers Y K Ramaiah and Huchchmastigowda. Tumakuru district was allocated 25 tmcft of Hemavathi water. But the district has never got its share due to the conspiracy by the politicians from Hassan district and the indifference of Tumakuru district in-charge minister. Agitation is the only option left before the people of the district to get their share of Hemavathi river water, he said and called upon the people of Tumakuru district to put up an united struggle for water.

Former deputy chief minister R Ashoka also addressed the protesters. Party leaders Narayanagowda,  Balaram, Krishna, Rajesh Gowda, Dinesh, Arunkumar, Gopi, Devaraj among others led the agitation.

‘Jayachandra indifferent’

 Hundreds of BJP workers took part in the padayatra that was launched from Kibbanahalli Cross. The padayatra passed through Harenahalli, Kodlicross, Doddaguni, Kundaranahalli, Nittur and reached Gubbi town in the evening.

The agitating workers raised slogans against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, District Minister T B Jayachandra and  the state government.

Former Tiptur MLA B C Nagesh said, "The storage level at Hemavathi reservoir at Gorur in Hassan district has increased following copious rain in its catchment. The state government should have released water, to the Hemavathi canal, to fill waterbodies in Tiptur, Chikkanayakanahalli, Turuvekere, Gubbi and Tumakuru taluks.

“But District Minister T B Jayachandra is not bothered to safeguard the interests of the farmers in the district. Last year, the district administration failed to fill most of the lakes and the tanks in the district. The water table in the region has gone down considerably."

He demanded the government to release water to the district so that the farmers could save whatever crop they could.

BJP district vice president Sagaranahalli Vijaykumar, general secretary Hebbak Ravi, state vice president Shivaprasad, former MLAs K S Kirankumar, J C Madhuswamy, SC Morcha district president G N Bettaswamy, taluk president A N Lingappa, former president H T Bhairappa, Benachigere Panchakshari, P B Chandrashekarbabu, Nanjegowda among others were present.
District president G B Jyotiganesh said that the party workers and the farmers from Madhugiri will also join the padayatris from Kunigal and Gubbi in Tumakuru. On Monday, the agitators will gather at Tumakuru Town Hall.

A procession will be taken out from Town Hall to Deputy Commissioner's office, where they will submit a memorandum to the deputy commissioner.