The Hindu : Karnataka News : A day full of protests in Chitradurga

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Tuesday, Jan 08, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

A day full of protests in Chitradurga

Staff Correspondent

Protest staged seeking annulment of SEZ policy
Curtailment of powers of Panchayats opposed

Coming to a halt: Activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike staging a rail roko in Chitradurga on Monday.

Chitradurga: Members of several organisations staged protests in Chitradurga on Monday, seeking better administration of the district among various other demands.

The Grama Ganarajya Vedike, in association with the Jana Vikas Andolan and the Karnataka Panchayati Hakkottaya Andolan, held a protest at Vanakevabbavva Circle opposing the Government’s decision to “curtail” the powers of the Panchayati Raj institutions.

In a memorandum, the protesters stated that the Panchayati Raj institutions had been established to ensure comprehensive development of the rural areas thereby empowering them to start development projects. The State Government unfortunately, had been trying to curtail them, resulting in stunted rural development.

They also demanded that the Government withdraw all Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the State which were against the interests of farmers. In another agitation, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike held a “rail roko” demanding that opportunities be given to Kannadigas in railway recruitment. Several members of the vedike who participated in the rally alleged that only Biharis were being given prominence but not people from the State.

The third protest was organised by the Rashtriya Kisan Sangha seeking provision of ration cards to people below the poverty line, transfer of officials who had been serving in the district for the past several years and disbursement of payments to those who had been working under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Attack

The final protest was held by the Karnataka Dalita Sangharsh Samiti in condemnation of the alleged attack on Municipal Commissioner T. Jayappa by members of the City Municipal Council and demanded that legal action be taken against them.

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