Karnataka has faced injustice on Cauvery, but have to follow Supreme Court's order, says chief minister Siddaramaiah

NEW DELHI: Karnataka has been facing injustice on the Cauvery water issue for a very long time, but the state has to implement the judiciary's decision to give water to Tamil Nadu, declared Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday.

"As per the order we've released water for six days. The order is hard to follow but we'll still follow the SC order," Siddaramaiah told the media on Tuesday Speaking after a state cabinet meeting. He confirmed water has been released today to Tamil Nadu "on and off" and has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter. The Karnataka CM said he may meet the PM on Wednesday. He plans to ask the PM to write to the Tamil Nadu chief minister as well.

The state's chief minister said the inability to implement the September 5 Supreme Court Cauvery judgement was the reason for Monday's modified judgement by the apex court. On September 5, the Supreme Court ordered Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water a day for 10 days to Tamil Nadu. That order was amended a week later, on Monday to 12,000 cusecs of water a day until September 20.

Still, "...we have had to deal with the situation arising out of it, we have to implement in the executive what the judiciary has directed," Siddaramaiah added.

The CM repeated, several times, that the SC's order is difficult to implement. "But we will make sure there's enough drinking water for Bangalore, Mysore, Mandya, other Cauvery basin areas," he ensured.

There have been violent protests since the modified order. One person was killed in a police firing on Monday and another died Tuesday from injuries sustained in a lathi charge a day earlier. Several vehicles were torched and there was heavy damage to property.

Violence, though, isn't the answer the Karnataka CM averred. "If you don't show volatility it will help. Bengaluru isn't just capital for Karnataka but an international city, the Silicon Valley of India. People should not take law in their own hands...don't cause damage to public property," the CM said.

Siddaramaiah urged the media's cooperation in containing the violence in the state. "I need the media's cooperation in bringing the situation to normal. Please join hands with the government," he said.