BENGALURU: The state government got everyone, except leaders of the BJP, onboard as it decided to dig its heels in on Wednesday and defer the flow of 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till a special session of the legislature charts the future course of action on September 23.
“The Cabinet has decided to defer the release of water," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told the media in a brief statement after an emergency meeting of the cabinet which was preceded by a meeting with leaders of all parties.
Leaders of BJP, who stayed away in protest against the earlier decision to release 15,000 cusecs a day to the neighbouring state, expressed their willingness to participate in the legislature session. The decision to defy the SC order is likely to invite trouble in the form of contempt proceedings against the state government.
BJP boycotts all-party meet, says don’t want to be part of CM ‘sins’
Defending the boycott of a crucial all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddaramiaah on the Cauvery row, State BJP President B.S. Yeddyurappa said his party has developed a feeling that Mr Siddaramaiah wants to make BJP a 'culpable-partner' in his 'sins of omission and commission.
In a press release here on Wednesday, he said all party meeting was a meaningless exercise and a diversionary tactic aimed at hoodwinking the opposition parties as well as the people of Karnataka. It was because of this reason, the BJP decided to keep away from the meeting convened by the CM.
Mr Yeddyurappa said the earlier two decisions of the all party meeting were not adhered by the state government- that the government will convince the apex court that it would be impossible to release water based on the existing circumstances and the government will appeal to the highest court of the land to send a team of experts to conduct an on-the-spot inspection.
What was deplorable was that the government unilaterally and voluntarily filed an affidavit offering to release 10,000 cusecs of water which, according to BJP, was the origin of the problem. The government kept the opposition in dark and did not take the people and farmers into confidence.
Meanwhile, sources said Mr Yeddyurappa took an unilateral decision to boycott the all-party meeting though other BJP leaders and MLAs wanted to participate. These leaders tried to persuade him to participate but he did not budge, sources said.
