All Party Meeting on Cauvery Water Leads to Centre Involvement Meanwhile, Mandya Farmers Stage Protest

Bengaluru: Against the backdrop of the persisting Cauvery water dispute with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, orchestrated a pivotal assembly of all party representatives at Vidhana Soudha on Wednesday. During this significant meeting, Siddaramaiah provided a comprehensive briefing to Opposition parties, delving into the prevailing realities, including the ongoing legal battle within the Supreme Court.

The Chief Minister also unveiled plans to lead a bipartisan delegation aimed at engaging Prime Minister Modi on the burgeoning water conflict.

The assembly bore witness to the presence of former Chief Ministers, including B S Yediyurappa, Veerappa Moily, H D Kumaraswamy, Basavaraj Bommai, Sadananda Gowda, and Jagadish Shettar. In addition, various Members of Parliament lent their perspectives to the discourse.

In the aftermath of this pivotal meeting, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accentuated the non-negotiable stance when it comes to matters of water, language, and border disputes. He elucidated, "We convened an all-party meeting to apprise them of the factual situation. Our Attorney General also delineated the legal intricacies. We are committed to incorporating the insights of diverse party leaders. Our advocacy before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) underscores our commitment to safeguarding our farmers' interests."

Touching upon the Mahadayi project, the Chief Minister outlined its potential to mitigate drinking water scarcity and extend benefits to Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, the perspectives from former Chief Ministers unveiled diverse insights. Basavaraj Bommai underscored the need to allocate water for both agricultural irrigation and domestic consumption. "Effective representation in front of CWMA is crucial, and it is regrettable that the government's arguments didn't bear the desired weight. The daily release of 10,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu is perilous. We reiterate our support to the government on water and border matters," he asserted.

Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy expressed reservations over the expeditious water release. He queried, "What necessitated the immediate release upon Tamil Nadu's Supreme Court petition? Their withdrawal from CWMA warranted robust opposition. Our suggestions to the government, although undisclosed, remain substantial."

The discourse extended to broader projects like Mahadayi, Upper Krishna, and Kalasa-Banduri initiatives, as participants navigated the intricate web of water management.

Meanwhile, farmers from Karnataka’s Mandya district demonstrated their discontent through protests against the Cauvery water release. Standing defiantly within the Cauvery River, they voiced their disapproval of the state's actions. Depleted water levels in key reservoirs have invoked apprehensions of an impending drought-like scenario.

K Annamalai, Tamil Nadu's BJP Chief, attributed the conundrum to the Congress for political gains. He claimed that the roots of this predicament trace back to the Congress's ascent in Karnataka.

With Tamil Nadu's petition urging Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water pending before the Supreme Court, the trajectory of the Cauvery issue is poised for further legal scrutiny in the ensuing week.