Cauvery water row: BJP demands CM Siddaramaiah’s resignation
Udupi: The Udupi district BJP president Mattar Rathnakar Hegde demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for failing to convince the panel at the CRA meeting on the Cauvery water row. He was addressing the protesters at a protest held at the KSRTC Bus stand here on Friday, September 9.
At a time when there was a severe shortage of water in the Cauvery basin, the order of the apex court on the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu could not be agreed upon. He alleged that the legal team of Karnataka had failed to convince the apex court on the ground realities.
The state government has failed to safeguard the interests of the people in the State in both the Cauvery and Mahadayi issues. When there is no sufficient water in our reservoirs for drinking purposes, how can we release water to Tamil Nadu? The State governments advocate Fali Nariman filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court offering 10,000 cusecs water every day and this proved to be costly for the State. The state had repeatedly suffered a setback under the legal team led by senior counsel Fali S. Nariman, the State government should think seriously about replacing him and his team.
Injustice has been meted out to the state every time. When we do not have water for drinking purposes, asking us to release water for the crops is impractical and unfair. The government should not release water to Tamil Nadu even if it amounts to contempt of court. The interest of our farmers should be protected. The consequence of not abiding by the court order can be dealt with later. Many districts in the state are facing drought, the government should supply water to our people and immediately stop releasing water to Tamil Nadu. The Chief Minister has failed to safeguard the farmers of his own state, he should resign from the CM post, he added.
Earlier the BJP Activists took out a Padayatra from Jodukatte to Service bus-stand, raising slogans against the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister Karnataka and the Supreme Court. They tried to block the road but were not allowed by the police. Later they submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Karnataka through the deputy commissioner.
Lalaji R Mendon, Akshith Shetty Herga, Suresh Nayak, Yaspal Suvarna, Shyamala Kundar, Shreesha Nayak, Shilpa Suvarna, Baikady Suprasad Shetty and others were present.
