Beware of Karnataka : Halarnkar

| 25 September 2002 23:08 IST

Only strong and united struggle against diversion of Mandovi river can stop sinister designs of a state like Karnataka, which even violates Supreme Court directives on the issue of releasing Cauvery water, cautioned Nationalist Congress Party leader Nilkanth Halarnkar.

The Osmitai Jyot of Konkani Bhasha Mandal’s Goa Yuva Mahotsav was lighted at the hands of Halarnkar at the martyr’s memorial of Bala Mapari in Assnora last Sunday. The programme organised by Swayambhu was then followed by a procession and a public function.

Speaking further, Halarnkar stressed the need to make it an issue of every Goan as diversion of Mhadei river will have multiplying effects all over the state and the whole state from north to south will get affected, directly or indirectly.

Veteran Konkani writer N Shivdas, who presided over the function, observed that the struggle for Mhadei is different from all other struggles in the past, from liberation to Konkan railway, where Goans were always divided either on political, religious, linguistic or other lines. But this struggle unites everybody, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, language or region, he added.

Shivdas also appealed to the student and youth community to come forward and exploit each and every platform to make people aware of the intensity of the issue. He also appealed to the locals of Assnora to follow rich fighting tradition of a freedom fighter like Bala Mapari and participate in the Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan.

Prabhakar Majik of the Vivekanand Kala Sadarikaran Manch explained the plans of Karnataka government to construct seven different dams at different places at all the tributaries, which ultimately join Mandovi river. He also said the whole Sahyadri range would come under the threat of earthquake if so many dams were constructed.

Prashant Naik and Sandesh Prabhudesai also spoke on the occasion. The Osmitai Jyot was then handed over to the Yuva Parivartan of Shirgao, who will hold a programme there next weekend. Earlier, Vivekanand Kala Sadarikaran Manch performed a street play.

The function began by performing a puja of a pot filled with water of Mhadei river. The meeting also paid tributes to B V Karanth, Shivaji Sawant, Vasant Bapat and Priya Tendulkar. Vinod Mapari, president of the Swayambhu welcomed the gathering while Makarand Vaingankar proposed a vote of thanks. Uday Chari compered.

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