Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has blamed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the “injustice” to Karnataka on the Cauvery water sharing issue.
Addressing BJP Yuva Morcha members at the launch of the BJP’s ‘Congress Hatao, Desh Bachao’ campaign here on Saturday, Mr. Shettar said the decision taken by Dr. Singh, who is also chairman of the Cauvery River Authority, had severely affected the people of the State.
Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s plea to the Prime Minister, urging him to send a study team to the riparian States before arriving at a decision on water release, was ignored, Mr. Shettar claimed. The team was sent only after Karnataka was asked to release water, he added.
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The Chief Minister also dismissed UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s claim on releasing Rs. 80,000 crore to Karnataka, during a public rally in Mangalore recently. “We will definitely provide the accounts. But first, let Ms. Gandhi give details about how much funds have been released and under what heads,” he said. “The Centre hasn’t done us a favour by releasing the funds. [The funds] are only a part of the taxes paid by people of the State.”