Mysuru: Former Congress person A.H. Vishwanath who recently joined the JD(S) lashed out at the ruling state government terming the state government’s decision to denotify dead lakes as ‘shocking’.

Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, Vishwanath said the move to denotify the lakes at a time when the state faces scarcity of water for drinking purposes in several areas is against the interests of the common man and could only benefit realtors. He even questioned the silence of the environmental activists on the issue adding that the move is against the law and should be dropped in people’s interests.

He mentioned that the government was trying to stoke controversies on issues such as state flag as also the Veerashaivas and Lingayats religion issues merely to divert attention of people from its failures.