The Cauvery Kriya Samiti launched an indefinite agitation on Monday opposing the alleged injustice to Karnataka in the Cauvery dispute.
The samiti members garlanded the statue of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar at K.R. Circle in Mysuru in the presence of several pro-Kannada activists and JD(S) MLC C.N. Manje Gowda and former Mayor R. Lingappa to symbolically announce the start of its struggle.
Chief convener of the samiti Mugur Nanjundaswamy said it will revive its struggle, which began in the nineties, and the agitation will continue till the State government stops releasing water to Tamil Nadu at the cost of the drinking water requirements of the people of Karnataka and the crops of its farmers.
The office-bearers urged the police to earmark space at a prominent location in the city for the agitation.
Meanwhile, the leaders addressing the gathering at the launch of the agitation, appealed to the police to co-operate with them and provide proper security. The police personnel were also reminded by the activists that they too were dependent on Cauvery waters for their drinking water requirements.
The leaders said they were not against release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, but only after the requirements for drinking water and crops of people in Karnataka are met. “The agitation is only to protect our waters. There will be no inconvenience to the public or damage to public property. The protest will be peaceful,” the leaders said.
They said the people of Karnataka will not tolerate the “injustice” meted out to them any longer.
