Cauvery dispute: BJP stages protest against Karnataka govt for releasing water to TN

In protest against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, a large number of Karnataka BJP workers on Monday (August 21) staged a demonstration and burnt the effigies of Congress leaders in Mandya.

They also put up banners and posters denouncing the Congress government and raised slogans at Sanjay Circle in this district headquarters town expressing their anger against the ruling party’s stand on the Cauvery issue. The protestors put flowers on their ears to convey the message that the state government has fooled people. They alleged that the government ignored the interests of Karnataka farmers, especially those in Mysuru, Mandya and Ramanagara districts.

Sumalatha Ambareesh, the Independent MP from Mandya, too joined the protest. Speaking to reporters, Sumalatha said no one should see this protest from a political point of view. “I appeal to people not to see this from a political point of view. Everyone has a responsibility including the media. We have to protect the rights and interests of our farmers,” she said.

The actor-turned-politician indirectly took a swipe at the Congress for blaming Centre. “The Centre interfering in the Cauvery issue is a misleading information provided to you,” she said. She said when the Congress was ruling at the Centre, Cauvery controversy was “taking place” and then water was released citing Supreme Court orders. Her actor-politician husband late Ambareesh, who was in the Congress, had resigned as a union minister in protest, she added.

“If the Centre can resolve this issue then it would have done it in the past as well. Why did this not happen? It did not happen because the Cauvery tribunal is hearing Tamil voices more. Tamil Nadu objects to any steps taken to desilt KRS dam and we had to keep mum. If we can dredge KRS then at least 20 ft of more water can be stored,” she said. She called upon people not to allow injustice to happen to the farmers.

The BJP said the Congress government is sacrificing the interests of farmers to woo Stalin-led DMK government in Tamil Nadu on behalf of their leader Rahul Gandhi for political reasons. In a Twitter post, the BJP said that a red-carpet welcome was accorded to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, who opposes the Mekedatu balancing reservoir for drinking water to Bengaluru, only for the sake of the newly formed opposition bloc INDIA.

The focus is back on Cauvery water dispute with Karnataka releasing water to Tamil Nadu, though there is inadequate rain this time in Karnataka.

According to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the Cauvery Water Management Authority has directed the Karnataka government to release 10,000 cusecs of water every day for 15 days to Tamil Nadu.

The Karnataka government has convened an all party meeting on August 23 to discuss the Cauvery river water sharing issue in view of the low inflow of water into reservoirs of the state following inadequate rain.

(With agency inputs)