The manner in which the Bharatiya Janata Party Central leadership on Wednesday organised a negotiation meeting between Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Karnataka BJP leaders to find a solution to the inter-State row over sharing of the Mahadayi river waters without involving official authorities from Karnataka has ruffled the feathers of the ruling Congress and the Opposition Janata Dal (S).
They are also upset with BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa’s decision to announce the outcome of the meeting at the BJP’s Parivarthana Yatra in Hubballi on Thursday, and taking political mileage out of it.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is on a tour of north Karnataka, demanded to know how a consultation meeting on such an issue could be held without involving the Karnataka government. He demanded that the Centre make Karnataka a party to the consultations and also take suggestions.
Earlier, participating in the Sadhana Samavesha of his government in Muddebihal, the Chief Minister accused the BJP of “playing politics” over the Mahadayi issue.
“The BJP leaders raise the Mahadayi issue only when elections approach and make tall promises before polls. This shows that they are least bothered about solving the problems of the people and the farmers of north Karnataka,” Mr. Siddaramaiah alleged.
He said despite knowing that farmers in north Karnataka have been protesting for the last four years, the BJP had made no effort to resolve the Mahadayi issue amicably by involving the Prime Minister.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said despite writing two letters to the Prime Minister seeking his intervention in the matter, the latter had failed to consider the issue seriously. He, however, stated that he would welcome any move by the BJP leaders to sort out the long-pending dispute amicably.
Sudden action
Janata Dal (S) MLA Kona Reddy remarked that the BJP, which had all long maintained silence on the issue had suddenly woken up ahead of the polls.
Asking the BJP leaders not to indulge in poll gimmicks, he demand that they should focus on getting water to the parched northern districts.
The Mahadayi issue is currently before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT), which was formed in 2010 following Goa’s plea. The tribunal in September, 2016, suggested the riparian States to look for an amicable solution by suggesting a dialogue among the CMs of the three States. Although the suggestion resulted in Maharashtra Chief Minister fixing a date for a dialogue, it did not materialise as Goa’s then Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar backed out at the last minute, resulting in mudslinging again.
Meanwhile, the ongoing indefinite agitation of farmers’ over the issue has gone on for over two years. Primarily, the farmers’ anger seems to be against the BJP as they feel that its leaders, including the PM, have done nothing to resolve the issue.
