Dr.Thomas (Special Correspondent)
F
ormer Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday demanded the mediation of Sonia Gandhi who is also head of the I.N.D.I.A front,to resolve the vexed Cauvery water row.
Addressing a protest march organised by the BJP at Mysore Bank Circle here on Saturday against the release of the Cauvery water to Tamilnadu,he said there was a draconian ruling in Karnataka and this government was unfit to give water to its citizens.
Development has stopped completely.The incumbent government has failed to protect land,water and language of the State.
The government had stumbled from the day one regarding the Cauvery issue.The Siddaramaiah-led Congress Government would be solely responsible for the severe shortage of drinking water in the coming days in the Cauvery basin areas.
State’s interest sacrificed to protect TN’s interest
The BJP leader said the officials from Karnataka never spoke in the first meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority and did not move the Supreme Court. The all-party meeting was convened after the second ruling from the Authority.
Instead of filing an IA the state government took objection to the IA filed by Tamilnadu.The neighbouring Tamil Nadu illegally used water.As per law, they must irrigate only 1.8 lakh acres but they have been irritating on 4 lakh acres.
This point was not at all mentioned in the CWMA because of which such orders had been issued by the Authority.
Karnataka Water Resources Minister D.K.Shivakumar said they must protect the interest of the TN farmers. None had spoken in this manner in the past.
Bengaluru being an international City, people from all over the world come here It would be a big shame for the government of it fails to give water.Shivakumar talks of Bengaluru Brand but failed to give water to the state capital.
Bommai said there was no cordial relationship between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar,and the duo were releasing water to the TN to protect the I.N.D.I.A alliance.
They were not ready to write to the TN CM Stalin. In the wake of this,Sonia Gandhi who is head of the I.N.D.I.A front,must mediate in this issue
A protest rally was needed against the state government.The BJP has more number of legislators in Bengaluru.
Here the BJP was not an opposition party but a national party which has certain responsibility.The crops in the Mysore region have withered for want of water.
The government must compensate farmers by paying Rs 25000 per acre.Water being released to Tamil Nadu must be stopped forthwith or else the ongoing agitation would be intensified, he said.
The former CM said the BJP would support any association or organisation that would launch agitation for the Cauvery water.
Later, the police arrested several leaders including former CMs Basavaraj Bommai and B.S.Yediyurapa, and released them.
