KARNATAKA PUSHED TO WALL BY SC’S ORDER

KARNATAKA PUSHED TO WALL BY SC’S ORDER

 

As the Supreme Court directive and stern warning on Friday to Karnataka over Cauvery has pushed the State to the wall,  the political parties in Karnataka went into a huddle finding answers and technical reasoning to overcome the crisis. Even though it is seen as a setback to the ruling Congress Government in the State, one has to wait for the next course of action by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who has called an urgent all-party meeting on Saturday to take stock of the situation.

Another setback in the case is the decision of Karnataka’s lead lawyer and eminent jurist Fali Nariman to relinquish his brief in this case since his client Karnataka had failed to obey the court’s earlier orders. This has landed Karnataka in a soup and the State has to comply with the orders of the SC for now to escape legal action. According to experts the third setback for the ruling Government is the SC directive to the Centre to set up a Cauvery Water Management Board by Tuesday. Karnataka had been opposing setting up of the board fearing it will lose control of the dams in its own State. Karnataka will now also have to release 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu from Saturday to Thursday.

Meanwhile, within hours of the SC verdict, angry farmers blocked the Bengaluru-Mysore Highway in Mandya  shouting slogans against the order and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, the protesters alleged, failed to protect the interests of the State.

Siddaramaiah, who is in New  Delhi, said, “The decision is shocking. I can’t comment without consulting all stakeholders. We will see what best we can do to protect the interests of the State.”

A close aide of the Chief Minister told The Pioneer that Siddaramaiah was getting ready to face contempt proceedings if the SC acts against the State. However, many insiders in the party feel this would help the party which is going to polls in 2018 and it might come back to power. A senior Congress leader said, “Siddaramaiah might sacrifice his power now to go against the SC and face the contempt action to gain politically looking ahead to the 2018 elections.”

However legal experts are advising the Chief Minister against such a decision.

The BJP, which is facing the wrath of the people in the Cauvery basin districts for not putting pressure for the PM’s intervention to resolve the issue is trying to do damage control by asking the State Government not to release the water. State BJP president and former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa has opposed the constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Board and said that his party would stand by the State Government.

The consistent stand of the BJP was no water should be released to Tamil Nadu.

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda told the media that he might go on a fast unto death protesting against SC directive.

Former advocate general of Karnataka Ashok Harnahalli says Government should release the water. He said “I think Karnataka is left with no other option, but to follow the SC orders.”

On Thursday, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti failed to broker a deal between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery dispute. However, Bharti requested the two sides to resolve the issue outside and approach the Supreme Court with a solution. The Union Minister went on to add that she would sit on an indefinite hunger strike if tension prevails across the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border.

Siddaramaiah requested the Centre to constitute an expert committee to study the availability of water in the Cauvery reservoir. Earlier, the State defied court orders twice, expressing its inability to release water to Tamil Nadu as it doesn’t have sufficient amount in storage to meet its drinking needs. 

 

(the pioneer)