Up against four-engine govt: Cong calls BJP’s Mahadayi promises ‘bogus’

NT Correspondent

Hubballi: State Congress on Monday held a programme on Mahadayi drinking water project in Hubballi, terming the BJP State government’s approval of the KalasaBanduri project a lie.

The Opposition party argued that there was a petition by the Goa State government against the project, which would block its legal passage. They added that there were BJP governments in Karnataka, Goa and the Centre and that they could have negotiated with Panaji and got them to drop the petition, which they didn’t do.

On the other hand, the party promised to allocate Rs 3,000 crores and complete the Mahadayi project within five years. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar reiterated this party stand, adding that Congress would implement the project were they to come to power.

“They spout blatant lies that no one understands. The chief minister (Bommai) is from this region. Former CM (Jagadish) Shettar is from this region. He was also a union minister from this region. But have they given initiated a single programme for this region? We are not just fighting a double-engine government but a four-engine government. There are BJP governments in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa and Centre. Despite these governments and their 25 MPs from the state, they cannot solve drinking water and farmers’ issues. Why, then do you need power?” he said.

“This programme (KalasaBanduri) was initiated during the tenure of SM Krishna. Back then, HK Patil was the Irrigation Minister. However, a legal route was taken and the matter came up before the tribunal, which gave a verdict in 2018. After the verdict, they approved the DPR (Detailed Project Report) without taking the necessary permissions. In their letter also, it says a Supreme Court decision is pending. Couldn’t this scheme be implemented if whoever had filed a petition in the Supreme Court withdrew it?” he added.

Why did BJP wait so long? asks Siddu

Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in the Assembly Siddaramaiah pointed out that the relevant Government Order (GO) carried an earlier date, adding that the State government only approved the project after Congress announced protests over the same.

“When did the Gazette notification happen? February 27, -2020. Even if your government was in Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and the Centre, why didn’t you start it in two years and ten months? Why wasn’t the DPR approved earlier?” he asked.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and its Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Mahadayi conference had become necessary because of BJP inaction.

“Why did Mahadayi Jal Andolan become necessary? It has become the need of the hour because the people who have captured power in Delhi and Bengaluru have cheated the people of Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi and the rest of the region,” he said