Karnataka: Congress govt lacks will to protect water rights, says Ex-CM Bommai

Bommai said the Congress-led state government did not put up Karnataka's position in a firm manner before the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee

Mandya: As the row over the Cauvery water-sharing issue continues, Karnataka former CM and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said that the Karnataka government lacks the will to protect the water rights of the state.

Bommai said the state government did not put up Karnataka‘s position in a firm manner before the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.

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The governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been locked in a protracted tussle over the sharing of Cauvery
waters. The river is seen as a major source of sustenance for the people in the two states.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee had ordered Karnataka to ensure the release of 3000 cusecs of Cauvery water at Biligundlu starting from September 28 till October 15, 2023.

“This government is irresponsible government, right from the beginning. There are incidents when even the Supreme Court had issued that they can go on the review petition. Tell the ground realities that there’s no drinking water left. All the crops are dying. Tamil Nadu has got one more monsoon which they have not been highlighting and they have done illegal cultivation and illegal water has been used by them. All these issues are not highlighted. This government does not have the will to protect the water rights of Karnataka, said Bommai.

Earlier, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) State President TA Narayana Gowda has written a letter, using his own blood, to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the Cauvery River water issue.

TA Narayana Gowda said, “The Prime Minister has remained silent on the Cauvery water-sharing issue. Today, all members of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike are writing letters to the Prime Minister in blood. Furthermore, on October 9, 10,000 of our karyakarta will go to Delhi and hold a protest at Jantar Mantar.”

“I have spoken to Union Minister Prahlad Joshi about this matter, and the minister assured me that he will soon arrange a meeting with PM Modi on this issue,” he added.