Bengaluru, May 31 (IANS) Despite the protest by farmers and the BJP opposing the Hemavathi Express Link Canal Project, which forced the authorities to halt the work temporarily, the Karnataka government said that the project will not stop, as 40 per cent work has already been completed.

Farmers in the region are opposing the Link Canal Project, which they say is aimed at diverting water from the Hemavathi River to Ramanagara. The Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Water Resources Minister, is spearheading the project.

The BJP and the farmers have given the government a one-month deadline to halt the project. Local BJP MLA Suresh Gowda has warned that the water will have to flow over his dead body.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said that there is no question of stopping the Hemavathi Express Link Canal project as 40 per cent of the work has already been completed.

Answering the massive protest against the Hemavathi Link Canal project, Shivakumar said, “Those protesting and those supporting — all are our farmers. We will safeguard the interests of everyone.”

Responding to a question about BJP MLA Suresh Gowda’s protest, he stated, “MLAs Krishnappa and Suresh Gowda are well aware of this project. They have previously spoken in support of it. Even then, if they are protesting now, I won’t say it’s wrong. All legislators are mentally aware of the project’s details.”

Thousands of farmers and BJP leaders in Karnataka staged a massive protest on Saturday, opposing the commencement of work on the controversial Hemavathi River Link Canal Project near Gubbi town in Tumakuru district, despite strong opposition from local farmers.

Police detained more than 100 protestors, including Tumakuru Rural BJP MLA Suresh Gowda, Tumakuru City BJP MLA Jyothi Ganesh, BJP District President Ravishankar, and farmer leader Chandrashekar.

As religious seers, their followers, thousands of farmers, activists, and BJP workers, joined the protest against the state government’s decision to proceed with the project, the situation turned volatile. Consequently, the district administration temporarily halted the work.

Heavy security has been deployed in Gubbi, Nittur, and the surrounding areas.

Protestors argue that the government is attempting to divert Tumakuru district’s share of water to the Ramanagara region. They said that they will not allow their rightful share of water to be taken away.

Meanwhile, Tumakuru Rural BJP MLA Suresh Gowda has called for an all-party meeting.

“The people of our district are concerned that their share of water is being diverted to Ramanagara. Congress legislators from the region are unable to oppose this and are asking us to take up the protest,” MLA Gowda said.

“This is a death warrant for the district. Thousands of people have come voluntarily to stop the project,” he added.

He described the project as unscientific and said they had been protesting for two years, raising their voice in the Assembly and staging protest marches.

–IANS

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