Mandya: The simmering discontent among fuming farmers in Karnataka against the state government's decision to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu spilled onto the roads with hundreds of peasants under the banner of an influential farmer's body engaging in a scuffle with the police in Mandya on Tuesday.
Several angry protesters, who brazenly marched on the road, were detained by the police. Famers' associations have given a call to block the Bengaluru-Mysuru express highway and stage a protest opposing releasing of river Cauvery's water to Tamil Nadu.
Though the farmers did not go overboard, they firmly expressed their anger by shouting slogans against the state government. Their anger was targeted at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. More than 50 farmers were arrested by the police when they tried to rush towards the barricade using bullock carts.
They alleged that the state government turned a blind eye to their demand. Farmer leaders criticised the state government for its 'anti-farmer policy'. Already 80,000 cusecs of water have been released from Karnataka state to Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu's share of water has already been allocated. After this, 11,000 cusecs of water have been released to Tamil Nadu and the crops of the farmers of the state are drying up without water. Only 2,000 cusecs of water have been released into the canals. This water has not yet reached the respective canals. Farmers have demanded that the state government should immediately stop releasing water to Tamil Nadu.
Farmers in large numbers left Induvalu village for the protest on the highway. Protesters marched to the National Highway and took out a procession with bullock carts and tractors. The situation forced the administration to deploy cops to prevent the highway from being closed. Police stationed near the highway tried t block the farmers' progress leading to the scuffle. Cops tried to stop them through barricades and cordons on the highway which ensued a clash between the two sides. There has been no report of any injury so far.
Leaders of the State Federation of Farmers’ Organisations and State Sugarcane Growers’ Association have been protesting against the release of Cauvery water from the KRS and Kabini reservoirs to Tamil Nadu since last week.
They shouted slogans and urged the government to protect the interest of the farmers of Karnataka. They blocked the road for over an hour last Friday. They urged the State government to release continuous water for the irrigation of paddy crops. Haththalli Devaraj, Karagasoor Shankar, Kurbur Siddesh and Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj were present.
Accusing the Congress government in Karnataka of 'betraying farmers', the BJP also staged a protest in Mandya against releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu on Monday. The saffron party leaders alleged that the Congress government "ignored the interests of Karnataka farmers", especially in Mysuru, Mandya and Ramanagara districts. The protesters also burnt the effigies of Congress leaders.
Workers of the Janata Dal (Secular) also participated in the protest that took place in the district headquarters under the leadership of BJP MP PC Mohan and an independent MP from Mandya, Sumalatha Ambareesh.
