As the Cauvery river water issue intensified in Karnataka, the BJP on Monday accused Congress-led-government in the State of coming under the pressure of the DMK, an ally of the Opposition alliance, for releasing water to Tamil Nadu”without an all- party meet or a direction from the court".
Addressing a press conference here, Union Minister Rajiv Chandrasekhar said during last two months, 50 farmers in the State have committed suicide and 16 districts are facing drought-like conditions”made worse by load shedding”.
He accused the Deputy-Chief Minister DK Shiv Kumar of allowing release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu “without all party meet or court directions”. Taking a swipe at the Congress, Chandrasekhar said Congress has” a history of responding under the distress conditions”.”Why under distress conditions ?”, he asked.”A simple answer is they have released water under the pressure coming from the DMK, a partner of ‘Ghamandia’ opposition alliance..", he said.
“To save the coalition , the Congress-government in Karnataka have released the Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu”, said the Minister.”It is in history that the DMK always pressurized the Congress and the latter responded to that pressure like it did now by releasing the Cauvery waters”, said the BJP leader. Chandrasekhar said large parts of Karnataka have been hit by drought and the Congress government’s decision to release the water without consultation with other parties will lead to farmers’ woes.
The Congress government in Karnataka is characterised by misgovernance, lack of development and corruption, he charged. Chandrasekhar also slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his claim that China has encroached on Indian territory in Ladakh.
He is an”icon of hypocrisy," the BJP leader said.”If there is a government in the history of India which has taken unwavering tough decision on the issue of national security and integrity, it is the one led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, he said.