Hemavathy canal protest: FIR against 3 MLAs, 2 religious heads
TUMAKURU: The Gubbi police have booked three legislators and two religious heads among others for Saturday’s protest opposing the Hemavathy Express canal, a pet project of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
FIRs were registered against 11 people, including Turuvekere MLA MT Krishnappa of JDS, Tumakuru Rural MLA B Suresh Gowda and city MLA GB Jyothiganesh, both from BJP. The FIRs mentioned two khavi-wearing persons (religious heads), but did not name them. Some non-bailable charges were also included in the FIRs as one of the police personnel was severely injured.
They were charged under Sections 191, 115(2), 121(1), 132, 189(2), 190, 223, 351(2) and 352 of BNS.
It’s alleged that they gathered unlawfully at the project site at Sunkapura, indulged in rioting, voluntarily caused hurt to the public servant by throwing stones and deterred them from discharging their duties, among others.
The protesters had alleged that Shivakumar was diverting the canal to take water to his home district Ramanagara.
On Friday, thousands of people protested and blocked the Bengaluru-Shivamogga-Honnavara NH-206 at the project site at Sunkapura in Gubbi taluk. They set tyres on fire besides deflating the tyres of KSRTC buses, creating inconvenience to passengers.
Shivakumar claimed that 40% of the work has been completed and the Rs 1,500 crore project cannot be stalled at this stage. It’s being implemented after the technical committee submitted its report, Tumakuru district in-charge and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara claimed.
Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti V Somanna had written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to stop the project, calling it “unscientific”.
Congress MLA from Gubbi ST Srinivas on Sunday said he too will oppose the project. “I will meet Shivakumar and raise the issue as the project will affect farmers of Tumakuru district,” he told reporters.
‘Attempt to murder inspector’
In a separate FIR, BJP leader Dilip Kumar and his supporters Rakesh, Koushik and hundreds of others were booked on charges of attempt to murder under Section 109 of BNS. Turuvekere Police Circle Inspector Lohith BN was injured severely in stone throwing. He was shifted to Siddaganga hospital in Tumakuru.