Kannada film stars boycott Goa film festival, protest in Bengaluru over Kalasa-Banduri project

For the second time this year, Kannada actors have taken part in the fight for implementation of the Kalasa Banduri drinking water project on Friday.

Veteran actress Saroja Devi along with other actors like Ragini Dwivedi, Sanjjanaa Galrani and Shivrajkumar were present at Friday’sprotest in Bengaluru.

Further, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) has said that it would boycott Goa International Film festival, scheduled to be held from November 20 to 30 at Goa, in support of the project.  

KFCC has risen in protest against Goa due to the state stalling the completion of Kalasa-Banduri drinking water project linking Mahadayi river.

Chamber President Thomas D’Souza in October said that the Chamber is committed to protect the state's interest in land, water and language issues.

“We have extended our full support to farmers’ agitation demanding completion of the project to end the drinking water problem faced by the people but Goa government is politicising the issue and hence we are boycotting the IFFI,” D’Souza said.

It is now 126 days since the protests started this year in the drought hit districts- Gadag, Dharwad, Bagalkot and Belagavi.

It has been the first time that the protest on this issue has prolonged for so long.