MYSURU/BENGALURU: Accusing Opposition BJP and JD(S) of politicising the Cauvery row, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday rejected allegations that his government has failed on the issue, and said his administration has never lagged behind in protecting the interests of the state, its people and farmers.
He reiterated the importance of the distress water sharing formula and the construction of a Mekedatu balancing reservoir across Cauvery river as the resolution for the dispute with neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
The Bengaluru bandh called by farmers and Kannada organisations and backed by the BJP and JD(S) on Tuesday in protest against the release of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu evoked partial response, with most of the public services functioning normally, but many people staying indoors.
“It is most unfortunate that BJP and JD(S) are potlicising the Cauvery issue. They are doing it for the sake of politics and not in the interest of the state or its people,” Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, he said everyone has the right to protest and call for bandh in a democracy, but the court has restricted processions and bandh, and hence prohibitory orders under section 144 have been invoked, aimed at ensuring that nobody takes the law into their own hands and that the public are not put to any difficulty.
“Let them protest, we are not opposed to it. But the issue should not be politicised and used for political gains. It is not in the interest of the state,” he added.
To a reported remark by JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy calling Karnataka Congress the ‘B team’ of the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, Siddaramaiah asked what would he call the BJP (the new alliance partner of the JD-S), which was in alliance with the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu until recently.
The Bengaluru bandh called by various organisations over the Cauvery river water dispute evoked partial response on Tuesday, as most of the public services functioned normally but fewer people than usual ventured out.
‘Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti’, an umbrella outfit of farmers’ associations and other organisations led by Kuruburu Shanthakumar, had given the call dawn to dusk (6am to 6pm) shutdown
on Tuesday.