Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday staged a walkout protesting a section of the Governor’s address where he mentions getting Centre’s approval for irrigation works under the Cauvery final award.
A resolution on Governor H.R. Bhardwaj’s address was passed in the House in the absence of members in the Opposition benches.
Mr. Kumaraswamy said the passage of the address with such a reference to the Cauvery award, which was questioned before the Supreme Court and the Cauvery River Water Tribunal, would be detrimental to the interests of the people and the State and the Janata Dal (Secular) would not be a party to it.
CM clarifies
Then, Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa said the resolution thanking the Governor for his address had been passed. Earlier, during his reply to the debate on the address, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah clarified that the apex court had said that “without prejudice to the pending proceedings in the Supreme Court and the Tribunal, its award could be notified”. He further said his government also had not agreed with the award and it had taken the opinion of its counsel F.S. Nariman before mentioning it in the Governor’s address.
Mr. Siddaramaiah declared that his government would protect the interests of farmers and would not politics such issues. Disagreeing with the Opposition, he said it was the Congress-led UPA government which notified the award after seven years.
But, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the court had not asked the Cauvery Supervisory Committee to formulate guidelines for releasing water to Tamil Nadu in a calendar year. He said even the advocates had warned that it would be disastrous and advised the government to be careful while handling this sensitive issue. He demanded that the line be dropped from the address, which was rejected by the Chief Minister.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said it was mentioned only to get funds under the Accelerated Irrigation Programme for the works and said that his government would fight the case after taking the Opposition into confidence.
Refusing to budge, Mr. Kumaraswamy staged a walkout.
