MP warns of Ayodhya-like movement on Yettinahole

GUNDYA: The BJP padayatra against the Yettinahole project led by Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel reached Gundya after covering over 100km from Mangaluru on Tuesday. The padayatra, launched at Mangaluru city on October 10, was discontinued after Kateel, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje and other party leaders were taken into custody by police from Hassan district, soon after they crossed the Dakshina Kannada border. They were later released. At the valedictory ceremony held at Gundya prior to his arrest, Kateel said the party is set to launch a fight on the lines of the Ayodhya movement against the Yettinahole project, if the state government does not pay heed to the demands of the local people. "We will launch an Ayodhya model movement against the project if the state government does not stop it. This is just the beginning of our fight. We don't want it to be politicized. It is for this reason we have been supporting other organizations these days. If the government is certain about the available quantity of water (24.01tmcft) at Yettinahole, we are ready to arrange for money through donations for the project," he said. We have no objection if the government considers using water from the Arabian Sea, but the 24tmcft water mentioned in the DPR is not available. In addition, 42 villages ofDK are facing acute shortage of drinking water. " Those supporting the project are speaking on behalf of the contractors who are involved. Let the people of Kolar and Chikaballapur visit Yettinahole to understand the ground reality. Since the government is not ready for a discussion, we are urging the ministers of DK to speak out against the project in the assembly and cabinet," he asserted. Thanking the activists, he called upon party workers to be part of the national highways blockade planned at Pumpwell (Mahaveer Circle) by Nethravathi Nadi Samrakshana Okkoota on Thursday. Poojary urged ministers B Ramanath Rai, UT Khader and K Abhaychandra Jain to speak up. "We will support the ministers," he said. District BJP president Prathap Simha Nayak said, "We are not merciless to oppose a project aimed at providing drinking water to parched districts. We are opposing the project on technical grounds, as the DPR fails to provide clarity on water availability," he said. -TOI