Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) Supremo H.D. Deve Gowda on Wednesday advised the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against releasing water to Tamil Nadu, as directed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday. “There is no need for Mr. Siddarmaiah to resign at this juncture, let him take a firm stand against releasing water,” Mr. Gowda told media persons.
“I don’t want to politicise the issue. I had resigned thrice. I don’t have any objection to submit my resignation to the post of Member of Parliament from Hassan. I can handover the letter of resignation to the Speaker tomorrow morning. But, who will be there in Lok Sabha to protect State farmers’ interest,” asked Mr. Gowda, in the light of demand for resignation of state MPs to Lok Sabha.
Expressing regret over the Supreme Court’s order to release 6000 cusecs of water and direction to the Centre to constitute Cauvery Management Board, Mr. Gowda demanded intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the matter. “Mr. Modi has to reject the direction of Supreme Court,” he said.
In his guarded reaction to the Apex Court’s direction, Mr. Gowda said: “I don’t understand the rational behind the order. Which is priority? Drinking water or irrigation of Samba crop in Tamil Nadu?”
Noting that order of the Court to the Union Government for constitution of Cauvery Management Boardis was detrimental to the interest of Karnataka, Mr. Gowda said, even as the Special Leave Petition filed challenging the final order of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal is scheduled for hearing on October 18, he did not understood the need to direct the Centre for constitution of Board.
“The final award announced by Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal was a fractured one. K. Parasaran Senior Counsel for Tamil Nadu recused himself allegedly frustrated over the fight between the counsels. The very order is under question and is being challenged in the Supreme Court,” he said.
Later in the day, Mr. Siddaramaiah met Mr. Deve Gowda at his residence to discuss the Cauvery issue.
