HUBBALLI: Navalgund, which was the epicentre of Mahadayi protest, is getting ready for another agitation planned by the farmer leaders.
The farmers on Monday will hold a jail bharo agitation condemning delay in implementation of the project.
Farmers of Navalgund and Nargund in Dharwad and Gadag districts have been agitating demanding Mahadayi river diversion project. The protest entered 533rd day on Sunday.
A month ago, the Assistant Commissioner had ordered banishing two farmers from Navalgund for allegedly indulging in violence in July last year.
The order of the Assistant Commissioner irked the farmers and they have once again decided to intensify the agitation.
The farmers on Saturday convened a meeting at Gavi Mutt in Navalgund and decided to launch a jail bharo agitation.
The farmers invited all elected representatives of the district to witness it.
Monday’s agitation is expected to get the support of the business community in Navalgund. The farmers will hold a protest in front of Raitha Bhavan in Navalgund at 11 am. They have distributed pamphlets among the public and various organisations may join the protest.
Meanwhile, the JD(S) party has supported Monday’s bandh and in a statement, it said Navalgund MLA N H Konaraddi will join the protest.
The party said the police did not withdraw the cases filed against 187 farmers after violence broke out in
Yamanur, Are Kurahatti, Alagawadi in July 2016. Lokanath Hebsur, one of the leaders of the agitation, told Express that farmers are fed up with an unnecessary delay in implementing the water diversion project.