Mangaluru: All college Students Association, staged a protest against the government to drop the Yettinahole river diversion project, by calling a all college bundh in the city here on September 19.
Prior to the protest a rally was flagged off by the legal advisor of ACSA Dinaker Shettyat Ambedkar Circle Jyothi.
All the students from various colleges gathered at the Ambedkar Circle Jyothi and marched in a procession shouting slogans against the government to drop the Yettinahole river diversion project and save the mother river.
Addressing the protesters Dinaker Shetty said that most of the colleges in the district have been shut down to protest against the state and union government to drop theYettinahole river diversion project. In DK district there are more than 30% students who are eligible for voting. If the project will not be stopped in the coming election we will boycott the elections.
He further said that we have sent 8 elected representatives to represent the district and raise their voice on our behalf when there are problems but the ministers have maintained silence regarding the Yettinahole river diversion project. The project should be dropped, he said.
All College Student Association President Rohini said that after Prime Minister Modi, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel is in the news, but being an MP he does not ready to raise his voice against the project. Veerappa Moily and Sadananda Gowda’s thinking does not match with the present situation. If the project will not be dropped, in the coming elections students will show their strength and boycott the elections. If the ministers from Dakshina Kannada District cannot stop the project, let them resign from their post, she said.
Vicar General of Mangaluru Diocese Fr Denis Moras Prabhu said that DK people are depending on river Nethravati for the drinking water. We are not against providing water to anyone, but let the government find a solution to provide water to Chikkaballapur and Kolar without putting the Dakshina Kannada People in trouble, he said.
Swamiji of Sandeepani Math Kemaru, Sri Sri Sri Isha Vittaladas said that most of the time Mangaloreans stage protest to get justice, but they stop halfway without finding any solution. This time all the people of DK should fight till the Yettinahole river diversion project is stopped. He assured his support till the end and said that for any reason students should not stop their agitation and fight till justice is done.
PRO of Mangalore Diocese Fr William Menezes, activists Avinand, M G Hegde, Donald Noronha and others were also present.