Not withstanding the implications of the Supreme Court order, all three major political parties in Karnataka have reiterated their stand that the State government should stick to the September 23 legislature resolution of protecting the water storage for drinking water needs.
Both Opposition parties, Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (S), made it clear that they would participate in the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Saturday to decide the next course of action.
BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa declared that the party would stand by the State government as long as it was committed to protecting the interests of the State. Taking exception to State’s counsel Fali. S. Nariman deciding against presenting arguments before the Supreme Court, he said: “The State has suffered a setback as our lawyers have let us down. The issue of constituting the water management board is before another Bench. At least this aspect ought to have been brought before the present Bench by our lawyers.”
Opposing the apex court’s order, JD(S) national president and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda said, “It is really a tragedy, less said is better about the court order.” Mr. Gowda said that when the Special Leave Petition filed by the State challenging the final award of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal is expected to come before the three-judge Bench on October 18, “the two-judge Bench passed an order of this kind in a hurry”. He remarked: “At best, I can appeal to the people to maintain peace.”
The Congress termed the apex court ruling as a “setback to the State”, and the party strongly backed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s decision not to release water to Tamil Nadu. KPCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao termed the Supreme Court order as contradictory and one that goes totally against the State’s interests. “It is another setback to the State. The Centre also acted in haste and said the Cauvery Management Board will be formed within three days. This smacks of partisanship.” Mr. Rao tweeted that “the SC order is again not implementable. There is no change in ground reality in Karnataka. SC orders Board to be formed in four days and Government of India says we will do it in three days. Karnataka BJP leaders have failed us.”