Mangaluru, Sep 12, 2015: Former chief minister and former union minister M Veerappa Moily who was in the city on September 12, Wednesday had to face the ire of anti-Yettinahole protestors who waved black flags at him as he left the World Konkani Centre at Shaktinagar where he had attended a function.
Here it is worth mentioning that Veerappa Moily who had strongly advocated the project, was said to be instrumental in sanctioning it. Moreover the foundation laying of the project was also held in his home constituency Chikkaballapur just a few days before the announcement of the 2014 Parliamentary elections.
Though Moily had in the past avoided confrontation with anti-Yettinahole protestors, this time however, he could not escape and was swarmed by protestors as well as media men.
The protestors led by Sahyadri Samrakshana Sanchaya Convenor Dinesh Holla even submitted a memorandum seeking to drop the project.
However, Moily expressed his helplessness in this regard. “The main intention of implementing the project was to provide water to people of arid regions and not to harm Western Ghats, he said adding the project was sanctioned during the BJP rule and the foundation was laid during the Siddaramaiah regime.
Moily made a strong denial when Sanchaya Convenor Dinesh Holla questioned if it was not him who suggested using Netravathi waters. Later Moily refused to answer several questions and left the venue. The protestors who were waving black flags were detained by the police.