Stating that Mahadayi, Kalasa Banduri Nala agitation activist and president of the Railway Agitation Committee Kutubuddin Kazi has been arrested on a false charge, members of Mahadayi Horata Samiti staged a demonstration at Rani Chennamma Circle in Hubballi on Friday.
Staging the demonstration, the protestors said that unable to resolve the long-pending issues and clear the hurdles for implementation of the Kalasa Banduri Nala Project, the State and Union governments are trying to snub the activists fighting for the cause.
Addressing the protestors, Siddu Teji said that during 2016, there was a symbolic rail roko in Hubballi seeking the implementation of Kalasa Banduri Nala Project.
However, the Railway Police registered a false case of farmers resorting to rail roko for seven-eight hours. And, consequently, no notice or summons has been served.
On Thursday, without any prior intimation, Railway Police personnel arrested Kazi in Bagalkot and produced him before Hubballi court, he said. The arrest is highly condemnable, he added.
The protestors also said that false cases in connection with the closing down of the jackwell at Amminbhavi and ransacking the Telephone Exchange in Navalgund have been registered in Dharwad Rural and Navalgund police stations.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi should take steps to get these false cases withdrawn and get innocent farmers released, they said.
Otherwise, the samiti members and farmers will be forced to stage a black flag protest when leaders come for canvassing, they warned.
Lokanath Hebasur, Babajan Mudhol and others were present.
Meanwhile, State president of Raitha Sena Karnataka Viresh Sobaradmath Swami has blamed Union Minister Pralhad Joshi for the arrest of Kazi.
In a press release, he has condemned the arrest and said that Mr. Joshi seemed to have more interest in sending activists to jail than resolving issues related to Mahadayi project.
He has said that after repeated pleas failed to make any impact, the farmers staged the rail roko in 2016 and the police filed criminal cases against more than 60 farmers.
The elected representatives instead of standing with farmers and activists who are fighting for the water project, are conspiring to get activists arrested, he said and demanded the immediate withdrawal of all such cases against farmers.
In Dharwad too, a demonstration was staged by farmers and activists against the arrest of Kazi in connection with the rail roko case.
