Impossible to suppress Hemavati River water protest: Karnataka BJP tells govt

Tumakuru (Karnataka), June 3 (IANS) Condemning the Karnataka government’s decision to go ahead with the Hemavati Express Canal Link Project despite stiff resistance from farmers, the Karnataka BJP has stated that it is impossible to suppress the protest against it.

In light of cases being filed against leaders and farmers who participated in the protest against the Hemavati Express Canal Link Project, Karnataka BJP President and MLA, B.Y. Vijayendra, and his delegation visited the protest site for inspection on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the canal area in Sunkapura, Gubbi, with other BJP leaders, Vijayendra stated, “If farmers take to the streets again, the government's foundation will shake.”

He further demanded that the state government call an all-party meeting on the issue.

He claimed, "This project is unscientific, according to the farmers here. The government should not make decisions out of arrogance and should sit with the farmers and work to resolve the issue. Issuing threats, and arresting farmers is not right."

"Any form of feudalism will not work. If the government proceeds without respecting the farmers' struggle, it's a warning," he stated.

"If farmers take to the streets again, the very foundation of your government will shake. All farmers and leaders should be brought together for a scientific review. This is a non-partisan struggle. I appeal to both the Chief Minister and the District In-charge Minister. It is not right to proceed by hurting the farmers," he advised.

Vijayendra asserted that Hemavathi water is the right of the people of Tumakuru and accused the state government of suppressing protests and people's rights, calling it an unpardonable offense.

He highlighted that 20,000 farmers had laid siege to this very spot just the other day.

Vijayendra claimed that their visit was not to politicise the issue, but to address the fact that farmers were being intimidated and false FIRs were being filed against them.

He criticised Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar's statement that the work would not be stopped under any circumstances, urging him not to treat this project as a matter of prestige.

He stressed that it is not right to cause injustice to the people of Tumakuru just to provide justice to someone else. He urged for a scientific review to ensure justice for everyone and warned against taking the farmers' protest lightly.

“The state government is tarnishing its own image by curbing farmers’ rights. It is trying to suppress the farmers’ protest over the Hemavati river water issue. The government is using police thuggery to suppress this movement,” he claimed.

“Maybe one or two people threw stones – that is not acceptable. The police are a part of our state. But using such incidents as an excuse to target our activists and farmer leaders and put them behind bars is a conspiracy. This will not help suppress the protest,” Vijayendra asserted.

The event was attended by Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, MLC C.T. Ravi, MLAs B. Suresh Gowda and G.B. Jyothi Ganesh, BJP Yuva Morcha State President and MLA Dheeraj Muniraju, District President H.S. Ravishankar Hebbaka, along with other district leaders and local dignitaries.

--IANS

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