D.K. Shivakumar
| Photo Credit:

Top Congress leaders will be arriving in Belagavi to attend the programmes to mark the centenary of the Congress session held in the city that was chaired by Mahatma Gandhi even as KPCC president and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has said that except people from the BJP anyone can attend these events.

According to Mr. Shivakumar, who is overseeing the organisation of the events around the unveiling of Gandhi’s statue and a convention titled ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim and Jai Samvidhan’, AICC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi will be arriving on January 21. They will take part in the programme to unveil the statue on the premises of the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi and later attend the convention.

“Preparation for the programmes is under way. Ministers K.H. Muniyappa and M.C. Sudhakar, who have been given specific tasks to execute during these programmes, are in Belagavi. G. Parameshwara will be arriving. They will be working efficiently,” Mr. Shivakumar told presspersons in Belagavi.

When asked about the number of people expected to attend the events, Mr. Shivakumar said: “We have invited the public to attend the event. Anyone can come. I cannot put a number to those attending. This convention is about Gandhiji, B.R. Ambedkar and the Constitution. Except those in the BJP, anyone interested in protecting the country, the Constitution, and believers in the thoughts of Gandhiji can come.”

Meanwhile, on the alleged diversion of 5 tmcft of water from the Hidkal reservoir to the Dharwad Industrial Area, Mr. Shivakumar, who holds the Water Resources portfolio, said Hukkeri legislator Nikhil Katti had brought certain things to his notice, and that he had asked for a report. “We will take action after receiving the report. When we are unable to provide 5 tmcft to Bengaluru, how is it possible here? Official permissions are required for any water release. There are specific calculations whether it is for agricultural or industrial use.”

He said: “We have increased the user fee on water supplied to industries and the Centre has issued guidelines on this. It has come up with a new policy on water. We will refer to it in the next legislature session.”