Cauvery row: BJP to boycott all-party meet called by CM Siddaramaih
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to boycott the all-party meeting called by chief minister Siddaramaih on Wednesday to discuss the course of action following the Supreme Court’s order directing Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till September 27.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to boycott the all-party meeting called by chief minister Siddaramaih on Wednesday to discuss the course of action following the Supreme Court’s order directing Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till September 27.
The party has demanded that the government should call the assembly session immediately to deliberate the issue.
“I have already spoken to Jagadish Shettar, Ananth Kumar, Sadananda Gowda; we have decided not to attend any meeting called by the chief minister on the Cauvery issue,” State BJP chief Yeddyurappa told reporters in Shivamogga.
“Immediately assembly session should be called where the issue should be discussed in detail, the decision taken there should be informed to the Supreme Court,” he said.
“Despite calling cabinet meeting, floor leaders meeting, all party meeting for three or four times you (government) did not take any specific decision keeping interest of farmers in mind. At least now immediately assembly session should be called and a clear decision should be taken, there by respecting the public opinion...” he added.
Karnataka will have to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water a day to Tamil Nadu till September 27, the Supreme Court had on Tuesday said while raising the 3,000 cusecs fixed by the Supervisory Committee.
Read | Cauvery water row explained: Here’s why Karnataka, Tamil Nadu fight over river
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and UU Lalit has also directed the Centre to constitute within four weeks the Cauvery Water Management Board as directed by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal in its award.
Chief minister Siddaramaih, who termed the Supreme Court’s order as “unimplementable”, is currently chairing a council of ministers meeting at Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat, to decide on a course of action.
While JD(S) is expected to attend the all-party meeting, party’s Mandya MP Puttaraju and a few legislators from the Cauvery basin region have said they will resign from their posts in protest against the Supreme Court order.
Sporadic protests have continued in the river basin districts, especially Mandya, the epicentre of the Cauvery agitation since morning, where the agitators have blocked the Bengaluru-Mysuru road at various places.
The government, which has appealed for peace, has made elaborate security arrangements in the city and southern districts to ensure that no untoward incidents take place.
The state reserve police, city armed reserve police, rapid action force and quick reaction teams have been deployed all over city, where prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC is in force. City police has prohibited sale of liquor and opening of bars, wine shops and pubs from 6 am on Wednesday to 1 am on Thursday in the commissionerate limits.