Mysuru, 16 June

Activists led by Kannada Chaluvali Vatal party leader Vatal Nagaraj organised a protest in Mysuru’s Hardinge Circle on Monday against the state government's plans to establish an amusement park at Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir, as well as conducting Cauvery Arathi and several other activities to promote tourism at the dam. Nagaraj also condemned the Andhra Pradesh government restrictions on sending Totapuri variety mangoes from Karnataka to AP’s Chittoor district for processing.

The protesters urged the AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to withdraw his ban on Totapuri mangoes, saying that his order is against the spirit of federalism. 

Srinivaspur taluk of Kolar district and other State taluks near the AP border are famous for mango cultivation. The mangoes are also exported to several countries.

The Karnataka government is supplying its Nandhini brand ghee to produce laddus at Tirupathi Temple. It also supplies sandalwood logs to the temple. About half of the State’s population visits Tirupathi for the ‘darshan’ of Lord Venakteshwara, Nagaraj said.

Farmers in the border district rely heavily on Chittor-based pulp extraction units to process and market their produce. The decision will adversely affect mango growers of the border district. 

Kannada activists will block the interstate check post of AP if the Naidu government does not reconsider its ban on Totapuri mangoes, Nagaraj said.