E-Paper
Cauvery crisis: Kumaraswamy slams Karnataka govt over detentions during stir
Former Karnataka chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday criticised the government for detaining protesting farmers and Kannada activists during the bandh
Former Karnataka chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday criticised the government for detaining protesting farmers and Kannada activists during the bandh called against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
Kumaraswamy also questioned the difference in standard of justice for Congress members who previously marched in support of the Makedatu reservoir project over the Cauvery river and the Kannadigas protesting against the release of water.
“What a surprise it is! On one hand, those (Congress leaders) who (earlier) marched for Mekedatu (balancing reservoir project over the river Cauvery) have arrested farmers and activists who were fighting for the Cauvery river in the streets today,” said the Janata Dal (Secular) leader. “Overnight arrest of the protestors is the height of mischief by the Congress government in Karnataka,” he added.
“Is there one justice for Congressmen and another for Kannadigas in Karnataka? If the Congress leaders can go on a Mekedatu padayatra in violation of Covid rules, shouldn’t the Kannadigas protest for Karnataka’s lifeline, the Cauvery?” Kumaraswamy asked.
“Is this the government of Kannadigas or a proxy government of Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin? Who did Kannadigas vote for?” Kumaraswamy alleged that the ongoing Cauvery crisis was the result of the Congress party becoming the DMK’s “B” team.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah labelled the opposition’s statements as politically motivated. “We don’t have any objections to protests, but one shouldn’t play politics over it. The issue must not be used for political gains as it is not good for the welfare of the state. The Supreme Court has deemed bandhs as illegal, but we will not oppose it,” CM Siddaramaiah said.
Reacting to JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda’s letter to PM Modi seeking the Centre’s intervention, the CM welcomed it but said that criticizing the state government was not necessary.
“HD Deve Gowda has written to the PM seeking his intervention, and I have welcomed it. But claiming that the state government has failed is political. We are committed to the welfare of the state and farmers. Power is not important for us, the welfare of the state is important,” the CM said.
Regarding the Cauvery issue, Siddaramaiah mentioned that there was no distress formula in place and suggested that the Mekedatu Project could potentially resolve the water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, as it will have a capacity of 67 TMC of water, which would be beneficial in times of water scarcity for both states.
Reacting to the allegation that the BJP is politicising the issue, former CM Basavaraj Bommai said, “Are the farmer associations and pro-Kannada organizations playing politics? The people have given you power; you should focus on protecting their interests rather than pleasing MK Stalin. They asked for the Prime Minister’s intervention after releasing the water. They should have pursued the matter in the Supreme Court. Now the only option is a political resolution, for which Karnataka should engage with the Tamil Nadu government.”
N Ravi Kumar, BJP state general secretary, highlighted the public’s support for the bandh in Bengaluru as a message of opposition to CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar.
“People of Bengaluru have supported the bandh and sent a message that they are against the CM and his deputy. This is an insult to the Congress government. They should have defied the Supreme Court order and gone to jail to protect the welfare of the state,” Ravi Kumar said.
