Bengaluru: A setback to efforts by state BJP leaders for a negotiated settlement of the dispute over sharing water of the river Mahadayi following abusive language used by Goa's water resources minister Vinod Palyekar against Kannadigas, prompted them to demand an unconditional apology by the minister, and vow not to deal with the controversial issue anymore, on Monday.
Wary of the impact of such statements on the party's prospects in forthcoming polls to the Legislative Assembly, state BJP leaders took a hostile stand against Mr Palyekar and decided to bring the issue to the notice of top leaders of BJP in New Delhi and urge them to haul up the minister for hurting the sentiments of people of Karnataka. The leaders swung into action a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described Mr Palyekar's statement as "reprehensible" to demand an unconditional apology from the minister.
State B. S. Yeddyurappa, told the media that Mr Palyekar has no right to speak against Kannadigas and therefore should apologies to the people of the state. "Nobody has a right to speak against Kannadigas. He (Mr Palyekar) should seek the pardon of people of the state," he added.
Mr Yeddyurappa lamented the fact that when efforts were on by himself and other leaders of the state unit to create a cordial atmosphere between the two riparian states for arriving at an amicable settlement to the dispute, the minister had vitiated the atmosphere.
Mahadayi: points of contention
- Goa CM Parrikar calls Mahadayi deficit basin
- Water resources minister M.B. Patil says Mahadayi is surplus basin with 200tmcft water
- Karnataka is demanding 7.56 tmcft water for drinking from Mahadayi through Kalasa Banduri Nala diversion project
- Work on Kalasa Nala was okayed by the Centre in 2006
- When the work was half through, the Supreme Court halted it in August 2016
- Check walls were raised in Kalasa to stop flow of water from Mahadayi in August 2016
- Goa says Karnataka has restarted work on Kalasa Nala
