Cauvery row: Karna CM seeks PM’s intervention

With the “extreme unrest” in Karnataka over release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call forthwith “on a few hours notice” a meeting of chief ministers of the two states to end the impasse. 

As the Cauvery row hotted up with the state observing a 12-hour bandh today, Siddaramaiah dashed off a missive to Modi saying that the “unrest”, if continued, would have a serious impact on the state’s economy as also the IT economy which brings enormous revenue and foreign exchange to the country.

“By this communication, I earnestly request you notonly as Prime Minister, but as Head of the entire Federal system, to call a meeting of the Chief Ministers of the States (forthwith on a few hours notice) to resolve the impasse,” Siddaramaiah said in the letter released to the media here. 

He pointed to aprecedent of December 1995, where under similar circumstancesof deficit flows, the Supreme Court had requested the PrimeMinister to resolve the issue. 

“The Supreme Court by order dated 28 December, 1995 requested the Prime Minister to resolve the issue of implementation of its order, which wasthen duly done to the satisfaction of all parties,” he said.