Dubbing the ongoing Cauvery agitation in Tamil Nadu as “intimidation tactics”, the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda appealed to the Centre “not to succumb to pressure” for political reasons.
Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Mr. Gowda said that the decision of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister to join the hunger strike was “provocative.”
Mr. Gowda said he would not advocate Karnataka Ministers, like Ananth Kumar, quitting the Union Ministry as they could pressure Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari to seek more time from the Supreme Court to study the issue.
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Maintaining that the Union government has a major role to play in creating a harmonious relationship between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Mr. Gowda clarified that he was not raising the issue for the sake of votes in Cauvery basin for the Assembly polls.
Mr. Gowda was all praise for Mr. Gadkari, who, according to him, gave a patient hearing when he convinced him on the injustice done to Karnataka by the tribunal.
He had sought sufficient time for the government to take a call on forming the Cauvery Management Board, he added.
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