Mysuru: Various environmental, farmers’, labourers’, Dalit and Kannada organisations staged a protest near the proposed kambala venue at Satagalli on Tuesday, demanding that state govt scrap the buffalo race hosted as part of Dasara festival.The protesters alleged that state govt was turning a deaf ear to the concerns raised by people against the event. As part of the protest, the agitators displayed empty vessels to highlight the drought and water scarcity in the region.Addressing the protesters, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRSS) president Badagalapura Nagendra said govt was spending crores of rupees on organising kambala at a time when Mysuru was reeling under one of its worst droughts. “We have appealed to the CM, former chief minister and other leaders, but there has been no response,” he said.Parisarakagi Naavu general secretary Parashuramegowda said people were opposing the kambala based on logical and valid reasons. “This is nothing but a waste of public funds,” he said.At the protest, the organisations took three key decisions. They gave the district administration and state govt a deadline of Oct 12 to scrap kambala. The protesters also decided to meet again on Oct 13 to finalise their future course of action.An 18-member committee headed by former MLA and Parisarakagi Naavu president AT Ramaswamy was formed to chalk out the future strategy. Badagalapura Nagendra, Gurupasad Keragodu, Kuruburu Shantakumar and KS Nanjundegowda are among those who will be part of the committee.
