The Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Governments received flak from the Supreme Court on Thursday for failing to control the mob frenzy and destruction to public property caused by agitators protesting against the apex court’s order asking Karnataka to supply Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as an interim arrangement for the rain-deficit months.
Blaming both State Governments for the violence and subsequent damage, the Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and UU lalit said, “People cannot take law into their own hands. Hence it is the obligation on part of both the States to prevent such actions…We are compelled and constrained to say that it’s the duty of the State to see no agitation or destruction or damage to property takes place.”
The Bench was hearing a PIl filed by a Chennai-based social activist P Sivakumar who argued that what happened in Karnataka was a clear violation of apex court’s decision in 2009 where it was the responsibility of the State Government to prepare a report on the damage caused to public property and submit the same to High Court or Supreme Court. The petition sought to fix responsibility on the erring state authorities and assess damage among other remedial measures.
The Bench posted the petition for hearing along with the main dispute on Cauvery water sharing coming up on September 20. At the same time, the Court was critical of violent agitation being used as a means by general public to protest against a Court order.
It said, “The fundamental purpose is that there should not be any kind of agitation when it relates to an order passed by this court. Any aggrieved party is under an obligation to take recourse to legal remedies for mitigation of grievance.” The Court had on September 5 directed Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water per day to TN but following violent protests in Karnataka, SC revised its order and fixed 12,000 cusecs.