After holding a meeting in Hubballi on Monday to decide the next course of action on the Mahadayi row, representatives of various organisations decided to convene a meeting of all elected representatives of Belagavi division on January 5.
At Monday’s meeting, in which former Minister Basavaraj Horatti, former MLA N.H. Konaraddi, farmers and activists from various taluks such as Nargund and Navalgund took part, it was decided that a mega agitation would be launched on the issue before the start of the legislature session on January 20. It was also resolved to constitute a conveners’ committee comprising with 23 or 29 members to chalk out plans for launching an agitation on the lines of the Cauvery agitation by involving legislators.
United fight
Considering the need for a united and combined fight to achieve the goal, the participants resolved to bring all organisations to a single forum and under a single leadership. They also elaborated on the failure of the previous movements and many felt that it was because those leading the agitation aligned themselves with the different political parties.
Some of the participants mooted the idea of blocking the Goa road and stopping supply of essential commodities. Instead of wasting days in the name of agitation, concerted efforts should be made to exert political pressure, some activists said.
While Mr. Konaraddi emphasised the need for continuing the agitation till its logical end, activist Mahesh Pattar said there was a need for continuity and collective leadership.
Opinions over phone
As the representatives of various organisations held the meeting, Mr. Horatti took the initiative of speaking to those leaders who did not attend the meeting, including activists Viresh Sobaradmath Swami, Lokanath Hebasur and Shankar Ambali.
During the meeting, Mr. Horatti called up the leading activists over phone and sought their opinion on the issue. They communicated to him that they would accept the decisions taken at the meeting and would act accordingly. They also told Mr. Horatti that their only demand was getting Mahadayi water for the region.
