Bengaluru, Aug 17 (IANS): Karnataka former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that Congress government has betrayed the people of Cauvery catchment area by releasing the water to Tamil Nadu.   

Talking to reporters, Bommai slammed Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for his statement that the keys of the dams are not with the government.

“They (Congress government) are giving away the rights of the state by making such statements. Why do you think people have elected you? Majority of people in Cauvery basin voted for Congress party. The party is playing politics over the issue and accusing BJP of making political statements. If statements are made for protecting the interests of farmers are dubbed as political then I don’t have any issues,” he said.

He said that BJP is committed to protect the interest of the state but Congress is doing actual politics over the issues related to people.

“The Congress launched INDIA alliance and the ruling DMK party of Tamil Nadu is their partner. Releasing water due to small objection by Tamil Nadu indicates that it was done to appease DMK in the backdrop of Lok Sabha elections,” Bommai said.

He said that BJP stands with the protesting farmers and will not allow injustice in the Karnataka.

“It has never happened in the history of the state. The interests of state and its people are compromised. This government does have the capacity or the commitment to protect the interests of the state in inter-state water disputes and in the matters of state boundaries and rights on water,” he said.

Bommai had written a letter on August 14 to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and demanded him to initiate legal proceedings against Tamil Nadu.

The letter addressed to Chief Minister reads: “I assume that the Tamil Nadu state has again raised a controversy over distribution of water from the Cauvery River. I have read in the media that Tamil Nadu is preparing to approach the Supreme Court in this regard. I am writing this letter to you by keeping the facts in mind and demand to initiate legal action in the matter.

“On June 1, the four reservoirs of Karnataka had storage of 24.352. Likewise Mettur dam in Tamil Nadu had 69.77 TMC water and Bhavani Sagar Dam had 16.653 TMC water. From media it is learnt that by August 6, 2023, 14.054 TMC water has flown to Tamil Nadu as per the Biligundlu measuring station. In this year, the inflow to Mettur dam is 83.831 TMC.

“As per the provisions in CWDT, Tamil Nadu can grow 1.80 lakh acres of Kuruvai crop and utilise 32 TMC water. But, Tamil Nadu by August 7, 2023 has utilised 60.97 TMC water for Kuruvai crop which is double the proportion stipulated by the CWDT.

“Tamil Nadu without taking into consideration the water shortage in the Kaveri River catchment area had provided four times more water than stipulated for Kuruvai crop. There is setback to us as our officers have failed to register their protest in this regard and this has gone against the interest of the state.

“The release of water to Tamil Nadu will result in shortage of water to Bengaluru city, Kaveri River catchment areas and the state will face shortage of water to Kharif crop in the state. It will push farmers of our state to crisis. Tamil Nadu has started receiving south west and north east monsoon rains and the government should take a firm stand not to release the water. I urge you to make strong decisions and uphold the interests of the farmers of Kaveri catchment area.”