Bengaluru: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H K Patil on Thursday demanded Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar resign for opposing National Water Policy implemented by Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2002.
“It was one of the best policy brought out by Vajpayee government. The policy was implemented after consulting all stake holders. With opposing to share Mahadayi river water with Karnataka, Goa Chief Minister has been working to weaken the federal system in the country. I want him to resign immediately as he has no moral right to continue as Chief Minister,’’ Minister Patil said.
Coming down heavily on Parrikar for issuing statements to confuse and misguide farmers in North Karnataka, the minister said farmers and people of Karnataka are angry with his statements.
“Parrikar is testing the patience of people of Karnataka by issuing different statements. I want to know what has made Parrikar to write a letter to BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa expressing willingness to share Mahadayi river water. What are the reasons for writing such letter?’’ he demanded.
Criticising state BJP leaders Yeddyurappa, Jagadish Shettar and Prahalad Joshi for misguiding and cheating people of North Karnataka by making false promises on Mahadayi river water, the minister demanded Yeddyurappa and Joshi to resign from Lok Sabha and Jagadish Shettar as the Leader of Opposition in Assembly as well as MLA.
“I want Prahalad Joshi and Jagadish Shettar to go to Nehru Maidan in Hubballi and apologize to the people for making false promises on Mahadayi river water issue,’’ he said.
Blaming BJP leaders for making farmers to attend Parivarthana Yatra meet at Hubballi by assuring to release a letter written by Goa Chief Minister on releasing Mahadayi river water, he said the BJP leaders’ agenda was to make the BJP meet at Hubballi success at any cost.
“It was a conspiracy by the BJP leaders to bring farmers to the Parivarthana Yathra meeting. Where was the need for them to conspire against people of North Karnataka? They do not have the moral right to seek North Karnataka people’s support,’’ he said.
