MYSURU: The Congress, which is preparing the ground for the 10-day Mekedatu padayatra on January 9, has accused the BJP of conspiring to stop the rally by using the threat of a Covid lockdown, fearing that its failures will be exposed.
“The padayatra will go on as planned, come what may. We will walk and take people on our side to prevail upon the State Government to take up the project which can be completed in two years,” KPCC president DK Shivakumar said. “Leaders of the BJP and JDS are putting out negative stories in the media about the padayatra to derail the Congress preparations. But jealousy has no medicine,” he said.
Stating that it is the BJP’s plan to thwart the yatra by exaggerating the Covid situation, he said the Congress has taken precautionary measures by ordering one lakh masks. “The party will also deploy 100 vehicles and create accommodation facilities for 5,000 people,” he added.
Hitting out at rival parties for giving a political colour to the padayatra, he said they will reconsider only if the State Government and BJP MPs prevail upon the Centre to give the environment clearance, and start the work within 15 days. The project will benefit 2.5 crore people in the region and provide Cauvery water to the nook and corner of Bengaluru. Except for a small village, no other villages will be affected and 5,000 acres of forest and revenue will be submerged, he added.
Responding to the BJP terming it a “political yatra”, he asked, “What was LK Advani’s Rath Yatra or JDS patriarch HD Deve Gowda’s padayatra from Vittalanehalli in protest against the murder of advocate Gangadhar Gowda?”
Meanwhile, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah said the Congress will take all precautions to thwart the BJP’s conspiracy to scuttle the padayatra. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has violated Covid guidelines by addressing election rallies without even following protocols or social distancing,” he said.
Siddu-DKS take out march
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC president D K Shivakumar put up a show of strength by taking out a massive rally in Mysuru. The duo walked for more than 2.5 km along with party leaders and workers.
They garlanded the Basaveshwara statue and put up a major show with cultural troupes on Chamaraja Double Road and Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai Road to reach the Congress office. Siddaramaiah said that there are no differences between him and Shivakumar and blamed the BJP for creating the impression of a rift between them.
No merit in TN objections, says Siddu
The Karnataka government must go ahead with the Mekedatu irrigation project as there is neither any merit in the opposition to the project nor a stay from the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal or the Supreme Court, Congress leader Siddaramaiah said on Monday. Addressing a party convention here, the leader of the opposition in the Assembly said the objections filed by Tamil Nadu were just for political reasons. “Tamil Nadu has no right to oppose the project and all its objections have been rejected. If there was any substance to the objections, the Apex Court would have ordered a stay on the project,” he added.
Stating that there is no need for a No Objection Certificate to execute drinking water projects, he said a dispute does not arise as the Karnataka government is bound to discharge 172 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu in a normal year.