BENGALURU: Amid the ongoing Cauvery water-sharing dispute, Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar on Friday urged Tamil Nadu CM Vijay to postpone his planned Bengaluru visit for talks as protests against the water release order intensified across the state.The development came after the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. The Tamil Nadu government said it would move the Supreme Court to secure its share of Cauvery water. Political parties in both states continued to defend their respective positions, with the BJP holding a protest near the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam in Karnataka’s Mandya.Seeking to ease tensions, CM Shivakumar appealed to Tamil Nadu chief minister Vijay to defer his proposed Bengaluru visit, which was scheduled for August 3, until the situation improved. “I request him to defer his proposed visit for a short while. At present, the atmosphere is beginning to improve. There is good rainfall and water inflows are increasing. Let us hold our meeting in a more conducive and cordial atmosphere,” Shivakumar told media after discussions with his Cabinet colleagues, legal experts and senior officials. The appeal came as BJP leaders, farmers and pro-Kannada groups staged protests, especially in Mandya. BJP state president B Y Vijayendra was among those taken into preventive custody while attempting to march towards the KRS dam. Protesters also targeted actor C Joseph Vijay’s latest film Jananayagan, tearing down posters, stopping screenings at some theatres and staging symbolic protests against the CWMA order. Urging people to maintain peace, Shivakumar said Karnataka has always welcomed visitors from across the country. “Whenever a guest visits our state, we should receive them with warmth and cordiality. Karnataka has always welcomed people from across the country. We should not hurt anyone’s sentiments.” He said preparations for a meeting with the Tamil Nadu chief minister had already started and discussions would take place once the situation became normal. Shivakumar added that he had spoken to Vijay and would request both sides to decide on another date after the all-party meeting scheduled for Sunday. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu law minister R Nirmal Kumar said the state would approach the Supreme Court to obtain its rightful share of Cauvery water. “Legally, we need to get the required water through the Supreme Court,” Kumar told media in Chennai, adding that the government would take all necessary steps to protect farmers’ interests. Kumar accused Karnataka of repeatedly refusing to release water despite directions from regulatory authorities. He said the Cauvery issue had remained a major political matter in Karnataka for decades. “Karnataka’s politics itself is being built upon the Cauvery issue. For 30, 40 years, 100 years, their entire political stance is contained in the position that they will not give water,” the minister said. He added that Tamil Nadu viewed the dispute as an issue concerning farmers’ livelihoods rather than politics. Kumar said chief minister Vijay would announce the state’s legal strategy and further decisions within a week. Responding to criticism from Karnataka’s Opposition that the government failed to present its case before the CWMA, Shivakumar defended his administration’s stand. “Even if the authority feels we have sufficient inflows, it remains my duty, and the duty of my government, to protect Karnataka’s interests,” he said. The Karnataka chief minister also appealed against the planned bandh by pro-Kannada organisations on August 13, saying protests would not resolve the issue.“I appeal to them with folded hands that such actions are unnecessary. We are already standing with you. A bandh will not provide any solution to this issue,” CM Shivakumar said. He also renewed support for the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, which has been opposed by Tamil Nadu, claiming it would benefit both states. “In my view, the Mekedatu project will benefit Tamil Nadu even more than Karnataka. The only direct benefit Karnataka will derive is the generation of about 400 MW of hydropower,” CM Shivakumar said. He clarified that the proposed 66 TMC reservoir was only a balancing facility and would not be used for new irrigation projects. Earlier, BJP leaders including Vijayendra, former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, Opposition leader R Ashoka and others protested near the KRS dam before attempting to march towards it. Several leaders were detained by police. The BJP also warned that it would boycott the August 2 all-party meeting unless the government assured that no Cauvery water would be released to Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, Opposition parties AIADMK and PMK demanded that the state government safeguard its Cauvery water rights. AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami called for an all-party meeting on the issue.
