BJP, Congress playing games over Cauvery water for power: AIADMK

Chennai [India], Oct. 4 (ANI): Coming down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress over the Cauvery water dispute, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Tuesday said both the political parties want to be in power and that's why they are playing games over the matter. "Every time in Karnataka they will have all-party meeting assembly they say this- we can't give order to Tamil Nadu.we want it for drinking purpose. It's a recorded answer. This is the same word coming from the Congress as well as from the BJP," AIADMK leader C.R. Saraswathi told ANI. Saraswathi further stated that the Congress and BJP may have different opinions in other things in Karnataka, but they are singing the same song over the Cauvery water distribution matter. "The government is not taking the word of the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court gives a judgment, they have to oblige. We agree that drinking purpose is also important, same time irrigation is also important," she added. Asserting that the people of Karnataka are not against giving water to Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK leader said that some political parties of Karnataka are making this issue a big problem because elections are coming. "Either Congress wants to be in power or BJP wants to be in power. So, both are playing games in this," she added. The Karnataka Assembly in its special session passed a resolution yesterday that the government would release the Cauvery water for the state's farmers. However, the resolution has no mention of the recent Supreme Court orders, which directed the Karnataka government to release 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu till October 6. During the session, it was argued that due to the increase of water in the four reservoirs from 27.6 tmc to 34.13 tmc, it had been be decided to us water not only for drinking but farming purposes as well. "There was 27.60 tmc of water in the four reservoirs. On 23 September, we had decided only to release water for drinking purposes. Now, the storage has gone up to 34.13 tmc. And the farmers in the Cauvery basin are requesting the state government to release the water. Keeping this entire things in mind, this house passes a resolution for releasing water to the farmers for their standing crops and keeping in mind the requirement for drinking purpose," the resolution stated. On September 23, the state legislature had unanimously resolved to reserve waters of the Cauvery river for drinking purpose of the people in the state. The apex court had on September 30 directed Karnataka to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu from October 1 till October 6 and asked the CWMB to visit both states and file a report on the "ground realities" by October 6. However Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi moved to the Supreme Court against its last order on the Cauvery water. The Attorney General has in his plea stated that only Parliament has the power to constitute the CWMB and not the apex court. (ANI)