From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Sep 16: Karnataka’s Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara promised to investigate whether RSS or any other Sangh Parivar outfits were involved in the violence in different parts of the city on Monday, September 12.

Dr Parameshwara, who is also the State Congress President, responded to allegations levelled by some partymen regarding the alleged involvement of RSS workers as part of the strategy to destabilise the Siddaramaiah government on the Cauvery issue during a meeting of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) in Bengaluru on Friday.

A KPCC member suggested at the party meeting that RSS workers were allegedly triggered violence in Bengaluru on last Monday, when police had to open firing and resort to lathi charge and burst teargas shells in different parts of the city resulting in the death of two persons. While one person died due to injuries in the police firing, another person succumbed to injuries sustained by him when he fell from the third floor of a building in a bid to escape from the lathi charge.

It may be recalled that the Supreme Court had taken both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments for their failure to contain the situation following its orders on release of water to Mettur dam.

Yeddyurappa welcomes Govt’s decision to approach SC

Meanwhile, at a separate press conference earlier in the day, State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa welcomed the Siddaramaiah regime’s decision to file a petition in the apex court seeking a study by a team of technical experts to study the ground realities in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

"The Congress government seems to have at last woken up from its deep slumber and approach the Supreme Court seeking a study by an expert team. This move was long overdue,’’ he said while addressing a news conference at the party office.

Yeddyurappa said that he had been repeatedly making the demand soon after Tamil Nadu government moved the Supreme Court demanding release of 50 tmcft of water. "Had the State Government taken this stance about three or four weeks ago, much of the damage could have been avoided," he said.

"It is a welcome move, though belated," he said and dismissed the Congress leaders’ demand for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention.

"I reiterate that it is not possible for the Prime Minister’s intervention at this juncture," he contended.

The State BJP chief also pointed out that the State Government’s senior counsel in the Supreme Court Mohan Katarki had made the same point at the all-party meeting convened by the Chief Minister.

Yeddyurappa mentioned that State Revenue Minister KagoduThimmappa had also expressed the same view.

BJP is of the considered view that repeated demand for Prime Minister’s intevention in this dispute is politically motivated and a devious attempt to divert the attention of the people from the abject failure of the State Government with the ulterior motive of politicking, which would not serve any purpose, he asserted.

Instead of indulging in petty politicking, the BJP leader urged the State Government to concentrate in fine-tuning its legal battle and maintain law and order.

He said the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh have assured of all logical assistance of the security forces to maintain law and order, peace and tranquility in the state.

"I want the Congress government to make the best use of this and ensure security to the life and property of the people," he added.

State will be left with Drinking Water alone

Incidentally, the two orders of the Supreme Court for release of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu on September 5 and 12 amounting to a total release of 1.68 cusecs of water till September 20 will leave the State with water sufficient only for catering drinking water requirements of Bengaluru City and towns in the basin area.

The State’s legal team has been told to inform the same to the Cauvery Supervisory Committee and Supreme Court when the matter comes up for hearing next week.

KPCC President and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Friday chaired a meeting of the party office-bearers and said the KPCC has endorsed the decision taken by the Government on releasing water to Tamil Nadu.

“After releasing 1.68 lakh cusecs by September 20, we don’t have water after that. The State reservoirs will be left with water only sufficient for catering to the drinking water needs of Bengaluru City. With no water in our reservoirs, we cannot release water,” Dr Parameshwara told presspersons.

The State’s legal team headed by FaliNariman has been told to provide all information to the Cauvery Supervisory Committee and Apex Court on the availability of water in the KRS dam after September 2.