Will prioritise state’s need before releasing water to TN: CM Siddaramaiah

Chamarajanagar (Karnataka), Mar 12 (PTI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday dismissed as a lie the opposition BJP's charge that Cauvery water is being released to Tamil Nadu even though Bengaluru is reeling under an acute water crisis.

Terming it a lie, Siddaramaiah said not a single drop of water will be given to Tamil Nadu.

"All that is lie. Who will let the water flow, that too in this situation? We will not give even a drop of water to Tamil Nadu without retaining water for our consumption," the Chief Minister told reporters here.

He said that neither Tamil Nadu asked for it nor anyone directed Karnataka to release water to the neighbouring state.

"Why will we give them (Tamil Nadu) water when they have not asked for it? Where do we have water to give them? There is no question of giving them (TN) water even if Tamil Nadu asks for it or the Centre or anyone else directs us to release water," Siddaramaiah said.

The Leader of Opposition R Ashoka on Monday accused the Karnataka government of having released Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

He demanded that the state government immediately stop releasing water to the neighbouring state and respond to the plight of the people of Bengaluru. PTI