Mangaluru: Irked with Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda’s recent remarks against the delegation led by MP Nalin Kumar Kateel that met the union ministry seeking withdrawal of Yettinahole project, the Karavali Jeevanadi Netravati Rakshana Samithi said that Gowda is a traitor, who is on a spree to sell his motherland, which gave him an identity and rose him to power.

It may be recalled that an all-party delegation which also included environmentalists met Minister for Environment Prakash Javadekar and Union Minister for water resources Uma Bharti on December 17. The delegation had explained the ministers about the adverse effects of Yettinahole project on the Netravati river basin and the environment.

Responding to this, Sadananda Gowda said he came to know about the meeting only through the media. He also expressed his displeasure against Kateel stating he should have informed Gowda about it at least out of courtesy.

It was during Sadananda Gowda’s tenure as the chief minister of Karnataka that the Yettinahole project was given administrative approval. The minister has time and again expressed his support to the project.

The Samithi said that both Sadananda Gowda and Congressman Veerappa Moily had received huge sum of money in advance from the contractors to initiate the project and are now desperate to go ahead with it succumbing to pressure. Labeling the duo as ‘traitor couple’, the Samithi has alleged the duo of swindling atleast Rs 1,300 crore so far adding that the two are completely sold out only for money’s sake.