Escalated violence points to many state failings
The massive and mindless violence that has gripped Bangalore and Chennai cannot be explained away under the garb of public outpouring. lives have been lost, people have been assaulted and public property vandalised. In nearly every case, the enforcement of law and order (more so in Congress-ruled Karnataka) has been sorely missing. Surely the Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had anticipated the outbreak of unrest, given that the Cauvery water dispute has always been a hugely emotive issue and has led to problems in the past. Now that extensive damage has been done, politicians on both sides are appealing for calm and assuring strong action against the miscreants. Besides the politicians, prominent civil society members too have asked the people to maintain restraint and not cause harm. All this is welcome. Mob mentality, emboldened by a lax law and order machinery, has reigned. Nobody seems to bother that the common man in either Karnataka or Tamil Nadu is not responsible for a Supreme Court ruling, directing Karnataka to release a certain amount of water from the Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu. And yet, it is the innocent citizen who has faced the brunt. It is difficult to believe that the lay person, however aggrieved he may be about the court order, can indulge in the kind of mayhem we have witnessed over the past three days. Clearly, anti-social elements and fringe groups who claim to represent regional sentiments and have the support of certain mainstream politicians, have had a free run. What else can explain the brazenness with which a hotel in Chennai belonging to a Karnataka-based organisation, is attacked by hoodlums, or the audacity with which nearly three dozens buses are torched to ashes by goons at a private bus depot in BangaloreIJ The absence of the state machinery in most cases has been there for all to see.
It's unlikely that the modified apex court directive — which has reduced the quantum of water that Tamil Nadu should get — will soothe nerves. What will is stern action against the mobs. Unfortunately, neither the Karnataka Government nor that of Tamil Nadu, appears too keen to hit hard, because both want to keep regional passions alive for political gains. This is more so in the case of Karnataka which is slated to vote for its Assembly in the coming months. Such regional parochialism even brings warring politicians together, further adding to the strength of the hoodlums. Both Governments hope the violence will abate once the fatigue factor sets in; they do not want to be overly proactive for fear of losing vote-banks.
The Cauvery issue, like all water-sharing disputes, is largely political. But it needs a scientific solution, and politicians must contribute in that direction. While courts and tribunals have to step in from time to time, it's the political will that can keep tempers from going out of hand. There is need for the Centre and the State Governments to sit across the table and resolve the crisis. It would be a good idea for the Union Government to constitute a panel comprising experts in water management, to institutionalise long-term solutions for tackling water scarcity. Whether inter-linking of rivers can help in that direction, is a suggestion which should be discussed dispassionately.