Bengaluru, Sep 21 (IANS): Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday criticised Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for "being silent" on the row with neighbouring Tamil Nadu over sharing water of the Cauvery river. 

Slamming the Siddaramaiah-led government for failing to get an order in its favour over the Cauvery dispute, he said that former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, "even at this age (90) raised the issue of the Cauvery river in Raya Sabha".

"But the other Rajya Sabha members, especially Mallikarjun Kharge, were silent. He is the President of the Congress. But, what is his stand towards the interests of Karnataka on the Cauvery issue? The state has been meted out with injustice in connection with the Cauvery dispute as the political interests of Congress are intertwined with Tamil Nadu," he alleged.

The Congress government has sacrificed the interest of the state to empower its ally the ruling DMK party in Tamil Nadu, Kumaraswamy charged.

"It is a clear example of what will happen if those who do not have minimum knowledge and understanding of irrigation come to power," he further said, targetting Karnataka Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, who also holds the portfolio of the Water Resources Ministry.

The former CM further said the Supreme Court cannot be blamed for its order on water release. "The state government had erred in every step. This was stressed at the all-party meeting. It was told before the orders of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). However, the state government did not have the patience and concern towards people," he stated.

"Political interest is a priority for the Congress-led government over people's interest. The interests of the state had been sacrificed as part of the plan as the Congress party has an alliance with the ruling party in Tamil Nadu.

"After the water release order was given by the CWRC and CWMA, the state government should have immediately approached the Supreme Court. But, it never happened. In the pretext of the orders, the water from Cauvery river was released to empower the INDIA bloc," Kumaraswamy said.