HD Kumaraswamy joins protest against Cauvery water release

Mandya (Karnataka) [India], September 23 (ANI): JDS leader and former Chief Minister of Karnataka  HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday joined the protest in Mandya district called by Pro-Kannada outfits and farmer organisations over the release of the Cauvery water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu. 
Kumaraswamy also visited the KRS reservoir, one of the reservoirs in the state from which water is released to Tamil Nadu, to inspect the water level. He was joined by local JDS leaders.
Responding to the Congress leaders' comments that the Cauvery water was also released when JDS chief HD Deve Gowda was the Chief Minister of the state, Kumaraswamy, asked the government not to play politics over the Cauvery water issue. He said that when Deve Gowda had released the water from the reservoir there was sufficient rainfall in the Cauvery basin. 
"In 1994 when H D Deve Gowda was Chief Minister of Karnataka, he released water to Tamil Nadu from KRS reservoir after the Center made a request to do so. Also that time there was sufficient rainfall in the region. I want to tell the government that don't do politics over Cauvery water issue," Kumaraswamy said. 
The strike in Mandya was called by activists and farmers after the Supreme Court on Thursday refused to interfere with the direction of the Cauvery Water Management Authority to Karnataka that it releases 5000 cusecs of water daily to neighbouring Tamil Nadu for 15 days.
Due to the Bandh, most of the private and public vehicles were off the road and business establishments remained shut in the Mandya district on Saturday. 
HD Kumaraswamy accused the Congress government of having failed the people of the state on the issue. 
"Cauvery water is our lifeline water. This year we didn't got proper rain. We are fighting for many years of cavery water. Everyday we are watching on TV, these protests for Cauvery water. There has been a Rs 30,000cr  loss for our farmers as per government report. Government has failed on Cauvery water issue" he said. 
Earlier on Friday, amid the Cauvery water-sharing row with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the government will safeguard the interests of the farmers of the state.
Shivakumar also said that during the meeting held in the national capital on Friday, the Cabinet meeting decided to follow the court order regarding the Cauvery water distribution.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai, PS Narasimha and Prashant Kumar Mishra while refusing to interfere in the Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu said both CWMA and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) are regularly meeting and monitoring the water requirements every 15 days.
The court declined to entertain an application filed by the Tamil Nadu government to increase its current share of Cauvery water from 5,000 to 7,200 cusecs per day.
Tamil Nadu has sought fresh directions for the release of Cauvery River water from Karnataka, claiming that the neighbouring State had changed its stand, and had released a reduced quantum of water as against what was agreed upon earlier. (ANI)