BENGALURU: The politics of yatra is unfolding in Karnataka in an apparent bid to set the ground for the 2021 assembly elections, with all three political parties indulging in a blame game over the Mekedatu drinking water project.
Last week, the Congress had announced a 100km padayatra from Mekedatu to Bengaluru to press for “speedy implementation of the project which seeks to supply drinking water to Bengaluru city”. The party claimed the BJP government’s failure to implement the project even two years after it came to power has forced it to take out the padayatra.
“There are no legal hurdles or other obstacles whatsoever. Still the government is not showing any intent to implement the project. If we don’t exert pressure, the government will not start the work. There is no other intention behind the padayatra,” claimed opposition leader Siddaramaiah in Mysuru on Tuesday.
He said the detailed project report was prepared during his tenure as the CM and submitted to the Centre. In 2010, Siddaramaiah had led a similar padayatra from Bengaluru to Ballari against illegal mining, the success of which catapulted him to the CM’s post. He, however, said: “It is not correct to link our proposed padayatra with that of the earlier one.”
The Congress’ decision has irked the ruling BJP as it is seeing this as an effort to put the blame on it for the delay. “The project is before the court and the government is fighting it out. It also needs a green signal from the Central Water Commission and we are making efforts to get it. Such being the case, the Congress is trying to put pressure on us for political reasons which is not fair,” CM Basavaraj Bommai said. He also blamed the previous Siddaramaiah government for the delay.
“The Congress government took a long time to prepare a detailed project report. What was stopping the Congress to implement the project when it was in power?,” he asked. Congress hijacked our plan, alleges HDK Meanwhile, the JD(S) has accused the Congress of hijacking it's plan.
“Two months ago, we announced the padayatra seeking implementation of the Mekedatu project. We had also met the CM and the governor in this regard. But the Congress has hijacked our plan,” former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said during a programme in Bengaluru on Monday. The JD(S) has also announced Janata Jaladhare, a programme to create awareness among people about effective utilisation of the state’s water resources, especially rivers.
“Through the programme, we will tell the people how the national parties failed to protect the state’s interest in irrigation matters,” he said.
