Tamil Nadu resolution urges Centre to direct Karnataka to release Cauvery water; BJP walks out

Stalin said Karnataka was creating an “artificial crisis” and refused to release the water required for October. He listed the measures taken by his DMK government, such as holding talks with the central government, to ensure the state receives the required amount of Cauvery water.

The chief minister said the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee was set to hold a meeting on Wednesday and that the state government would press the committee to direct the neighbouring state to release the amount of water fixed by the Cauvery Water Management Board and seek necessary legal measures if required.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami arrived for the meeting with his party’s MLAs and was seated next to expelled AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam.

While welcoming the resolution, the AIADMK leader stressed on the need for the ruling DMK to exert more pressure on the Union government and recalled how his party’s MPs protested for 22 days in the Lok Sabha over the Cauvery issue in 2018. “We urge the DMK to take appropriate measures to ensure our state receives the required water from Karnataka,” Palaniswami said.

Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan told reporters that there were no issues when the BJP was in power in Karnataka. The DMK government has brought in the resolution to hide its inability to get water due to Tamil Nadu from the Congress-ruled neighbouring state, she alleged.

“The DMK, which opposed the Centre’s Dam Safety Bill saying the Union government should not interfere in states’ rights, is now urging the Union government to direct Karnataka to release water. This exposes their double standards,” Srinivasan added.

In the Assembly, Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader T Velmurugan said in a fiery speech that his party should be allowed to protest against the Karnataka government’s decision to not release the water to Tamil Nadu. Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan, however, said that MLAs should not react in a hasty manner as there could be equal reactions from the neighbouring state.

Two weeks ago, pro-Kannada activists observed a bandh over the Cauvery issue. The neighbouring state has also filed a review petition before the Cauvery Water Management Board against the directive to release 3,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu til October 15.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that Karnataka is not in a position to comply with the directive because of a lack of water in the Cauvery reservoirs.