The Hindu : Don't risk SC's wrath, Gowda tells Govt.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 24, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Don't risk SC's wrath, Gowda tells Govt.

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Sept. 23. The former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, has expressed displeasure over the "shoddy manner" in which the State Government is handling the Cauvery issue.

He was speaking at a meeting of office-bearers, district unit presidents, legislators, former ministers, and other senior leaders of the Janata Dal (Secular) at the party headquarters here today.

Mr. Deve Gowda said it was improper for the State Government to strike a defiant posture and risk earning the wrath of the Supreme Court and the Cauvery River Authority (CRA). It should be noted that the final orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal was also expected shortly and the tribunal could also possibly be swayed by the observations of the Supreme Court, he said.

That there was distress due to the water shortage in the Cauvery Basin was a fact. However, the State should have presented the facts properly before the apex court. The casual approach had resulted in the State's case being considerably weakened.

The JD(S), which had planned for a Delhi chalo programme under the leadership of Mr. Deve Gowda and the President of the JD(S) State unit, Siddaramaiah, on September 29, has postponed the trip by a fortnight on account of the developments on the Cauvery issue and the State Government summoning an emergent session of the Legislature. The JD(S) plans to take around 2,000 farmers to Delhi and stage a demonstration near the residence of the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti day. A memorandum will be submitted to the Prime Minister on the difficulties faced by farmers following the collapse of agricultural prices and the serious drought in the State.

Meanwhile, Mr. Deve Gowda and Mr. Siddaramaiah will tour the drought-affected regions of the State, beginning next week. On the first leg of the tour, they will cover Bagalkot, Bijapur, and Belgaum districts and interact with farmers.

The two leaders will also call on the family members of Guruswamy, who drowned in the Kabini last week, after he jumped into the reservoir in protest against the release of water to Tamil Nadu. At today's meeting, the senior leaders contributed a sum of Rs. 50,000 to be given to Guruswamy's family.

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