Mangaluru/Belthangady : Protests against the Yettinahole diversion project took a curious turn on Rajyotsava Day to celebrate the unification of Karnataka on Sunday, with Tulu organisations demanding statehood for Tulu Nadu over the issue. They observed November 1 as Black Day and attempts were made to hoist Tulu Nadu flag.

Posters appeared in different parts of the city on Sunday demanding statehood. Holding black flags, activists of Tulunadu Rakshana Vedike staged a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office against the project and demanded creation of Tulu Nadu.

Activist Sudatta Jain Shirtady started an indefinite fast against the project in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Sunday. “I want the people to wake up and come to the streets pressing the government to stop the project. I also want the State government to answer our concerns,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, Yogish Shetty Jeppu, convener, Tulunadu Rakshana Vedike, alleged that the government has ignored the concerns expressed by experts and others on the project. They ignored concerns expressed by the people while setting up a thermal power project in Padubidri, Udupi district, and also while allowing petrochemical units in Mangaluru. Now, they are going ahead with the Yettinahole project. “We have no other option than to demand statehood,” he said.

In Belthangady, a large number of people under the banner of Tulunada Okkuta tried to hoist a Tulu Nadu flag. The police took some of them under preventive custody and released them later.

People staged a demonstration near Ambedkar Bhavan at Belthangady opposing the project. They said that the government was not taking the opposition from the people in the coastal belt to the project seriously. The activists said that the project would deplete the water-table in Dakshina Kannada and damage the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats.