Karnataka Bandh on Aug. 13 not for Cauvery alone, says Vatal Nagaraj
Clarifying that the call for a ‘Karnataka Bandh’ on Thursday (August 13) was not limited to the Cauvery water issue, veteran Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj
Clarifying that the call for a ‘Karnataka Bandh’ on Thursday (August 13) was not limited to the Cauvery water issue, veteran Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj on Tuesday said the bandh was intended to highlight all major irrigation and development issues, including the Kalasa-Banduri and Mekedatu projects. Speaking to presspersons after participating in a demonstration for the early implementation of the Kalasa Banduri Nala Project at Kittur Chennamma Circle in Hubballi on Tuesday, Mr. Vatal Nagaraj made an appeal to all pro-Kannada organisations, farmers’ leaders, and other organisations to extend their support to the bandh call.
“Cauvery is not the only major issue facing Karnataka. We need to raise our voice on issues concerning Kittur Karnataka, Kalyana Karnataka and coastal Karnataka. We should not treat the issues of different regions of Karnataka separately. Instead, we should adopt a holistic approach and fight for the State’s overall development,” he said. Nagaraj said the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project had been pending for a long time and remained unresolved despite years of agitation and protests.
It was time to highlight the issue again, he said, adding that along with the Cauvery issue, concerns relating to the Upper Krishna Project should also be brought to the fore. He said the Belagavi Municipal Corporation should adopt a resolution declaring Belagavi an integral part of Karnataka, and that the State government should extend grants on priority for the comprehensive development of the border district. Alleging that vested interests were spreading misinformation about the proposed bandh, Mr. Vatal Nagaraj appealed to all organisations to join hands and extend wholehearted support to the bandh call.
Hundreds of organisations, from Belagavi to Chamarajanagar and Mangaluru to Kolar, had already extended support, he said.
The BriefWire