Bangalore: Under attack from the Opposition and farmers' bodies for his 'padayatra'
(protest march) on Cauvery issue, Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna on October 8
did not rule out the possibility of his calling off from October 9 the ongoing 129-
km march to Cauvery basin districts of Mandya and Mysore.
Brushing aside criticism, Krishna went ahead with his padayatra for the second day
on October 8 but after meeting with the prominent body spearheading the farmers'
agitation in his home district of Mandya, he said that he would discuss the demand
with his senior ministerial colleagues and take a decision.
Former Lok Sabha member and senior politician of Mandya district, G Madegowda, who
is heading the committee leading the five-week long agitation, called on Krishna and
urged him to give up the march, saying that it would only divide the people along
political lines.
"My immediate concern is to restore normalcy in the state. This is the only concern
I have now. Unity is the need of the hour," Krishna told reporters during lunch
break, adding that he would consider the demand for winding up the yatra with his
colleagues.
Krishna, who began the gruelling eight-day padayatra on a mission for peace on
October 7, however dismissed the Opposition charge that the yatra was his unilateral
decision, noting that it was taken after consulting senior colleagues.
Happy with the "overwhelming response" to his yatra, Krishna said, "This response
has given strength to my legs and joints."
In a dramatic move that caught Opposition parties by surprise, Krishna had announced
the yatra within hours after receiving a solid backing from them for his
government's decision not to release Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu.
PTI
