Siddaramaiah to hold all-party meet on Cauvery today, BJP, JD(S) boycott it

Siddaramaiah had said it would be difficult to implement SC order to release 6,000 cusecs of water per day to Tamil Nadu.

Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah will on Wednesday hold an all party and cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss the next step after the Supreme Court ordered the release of 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till September 27.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) have decided to boycott the meeting, said a report.

Accusing the Chief Minister of ignoring the views of the Opposition Parties in the earlier meetings, the BJP has insisted that a legislature session should be convened instead of an all-party meeting.

As he faced a fresh challenge on the raging Cauvery row at a time when protests were abating, Siddaramaiah said that Karnataka does not have water and it would be difficult to implement the SC order. It is an “unimplementable order”, he said.

The Cauvery Supervisory Committee had on Monday asked Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs per day from September 21 to 30 but the apex court doubled the quantum to 6,000 cusecs till September 27 on Tuesday after Tamil Nadu pressed for water to save its samba paddy crop.

The chief minister said Karnataka had placed facts based on ground reality before the Cauvery Supervisory Committee but it still passed an order directing the state to release 3,000 cusecs per day between September 21 and 30. He said the Supervisory Committee was constituted by the apex court, which had given a direction on September 5 to Tamil Nadu to approach the panel and asked Karnataka to file a response to the neighbouring state’s plea.

Farmers tied noose around their necks to protest against the fresh SC order at Mysore road in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Police have been deployed across the city to ensure that no untoward incidents happen, a senior Bengaluru police official said on Tuesday.

Karnataka state reserve police, city armed reserve police, rapid action force and quick reaction teams have been deployed across Bengaluru, where prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPc are in force, he said.

Siddaramaiah said the state government was awaiting the copy of the Supreme Court order and the state cabinet will meet on Wednesday followed by an all party meeting to chalk out the future course of action after consulting legal experts.

“... we will discuss the pros and cons of this order. After taking views and opinion of leaders from all parties, we will proceed further,” he added. A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and UU Lalit has directed the Centre to constitute the Cauvery Water Management Board (CWMB) -- as directed by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) -- within four weeks.

Keeping in mind the violence that ensued last week over the Cauvery issue in Bengaluru, Siddarmaiah said, “I appeal to the people, especially to people from Cauvery basin to maintain peace; they should not get carried away by emotions”. “The government is committed to protect the interest of the state, its people and its farmers. Every one should cooperate,” he said.

Soon after the Supreme Court’s order, Siddaramaiah held meetings with senior ministers and officials.

As the Supreme Court order came, sporadic protests erupted in Mandya, Mysuru, Srirangapatna and nearby areas erupted, with farmers demonstrating on the streets.

In Mandya district, the epicentre of Cauvery agitation, protesters at several places blocked the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway.

(The article first appeared in Deccan Chronicle)