What's there to argue in the SC after releasing water to TN: questions former CM Bommai

Bengaluru: By making repeated mistakes in regard to the Cauvery water sharing, the state government was putting the people in quandary. What's there to argue when in the Supreme Court as  it was ready to honour the directions of the Cauvery Water Management Authority to release water to Tamil Nadu, asked former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

He told reporters here on Tuesday that Karnataka has filed an affidavit before the apex court that it cannot release water after September 12 for which the government must stick to that stand. The affidavit of the government was of great importance and releasing water now means telling lies before the Supreme Court.

"Water Resources and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has said that I have put him in a spot. I am not going to be benefited by putting him in quandary and I don't require it. However, the stand of the government has put the farmers and the. Children of Cauvery in a fix. My suggestions are in the interest of the State but the government is not ready to take our suggestions. The advocates will always give suggestions to release water and we had changed it. Our government never released water stealthy. When you have followed the CWMA orders what's there to tell before the apex court?'.

The former CM said there was no meaning in going to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi now since this issue had been discussed with the PM prior to 1990. Now it was irrelevant to discuss about it. Taking an all-party delegation to Delhi to meet the PM was nothing but misleading the people.

The solution to the present problem was difficult unless the state legal team explained to the apex court the water storage situation in the Tamil Nadu dams and the quantum of the usgs of water by them in the Supreme Court. The state legal team had been there since the previous BJP regime. Nothing can be done if the state government was not ready to take their suggestions seriously, Bommai said.

Asked about the former  PM HD Deve Gowda's suggestions for the outside the court settlement of the water row, the BJP leader said the TN government had been non-cooperative since from the beginning and showing non-cooperation.

About the TN MPs meeting Union Jalshakti Minister, Bommai said the BJP MPs from Karnataka have been asked to meet the union minister concerned and submit a memorandum.

Terming the assent to the Women's Reservation Bill by the Government of India as revolutionary, the former CM said though the bill was passed during the Congress-led UPA government in 2009 in Rajya Sabha, it was not passed in Lok Sabha following strong opposition by the UPA partners. Giving 50 per cent reservation to women was a step towards the good representation for them. It was unfortunate that the Congress Party had taken the credit for the same. " Mere preparation of the bill is not important but getting it passed by taking all the parties into confidence is very important. We are confident that the union government will take all into confidence and implement it as legislation".