Dubbing the order of the Apex Court to release water to Tamil Nadu and form Cauvery Management Board as “unconstitutional,” former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that this kind of order will be “detrimental” to federal structure on Saturday morning.
Participating in the overnight dharna launched by the former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo, H.D. Deve Gowda, in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha, Mr. Kumaraswamy appealed to all the 28 members of Lok Sabha to quit their posts to exert pressure on the Union Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the issue. He said the resolution passed in the State legislature was final and water in the four reservoir should be used only for drinking water purpose of people in Cauvery basin and Bengaluru city.
In his last ditch effort to protect the interest of farmers and the State, former Prime Minister had launched an indefinite fast. “My father has been pushed to launch indefinite hunger strike at the age of 82,” he said.
Expressing regret over the Apex Court’s order, he said: “It is not possible to abide by the two-judge bench order.” The court refused to take cognisance of the suggestion of inter-State meeting on Cauvery to send a team of experts to review water situation in reservoirs in both the states, he argued.
Assuring support to the Chief Minister in the decision against releasing water, Mr. Kumaraswamy said, “There is no need for Mr. Siddaramaiah to worry over defying the court order. Our party stands solidly behind him.”
Rebel JD(S) leaders including Zameer Ahmed and Cheluvarayaswamy, expressed their support to Mr. Gowda by participating in the dharna.
