The JD(S) held a massive rally on Tuesday, protesting against the move to notify the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. Former prime minister and party supremo H D Deve Gowda led the rally.
He said the Tribunal’s award was against the interests of the farmers and benefited Tamil Nadu.
Hundreds of party workers and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy took part in the padayatra that began at the Town Hall and culminated at the Freedom Park.
Gowda flayed the Centre for proposing to notify the award.
“If the Centre notifies the award, farmers from five districts, 22 taluks and more than 22,000 villages will suffer. They are all dependent on the Cauvery for their livelihood,” Gowda said.
He reminded the JD(S) workers that as much as two-thirds of Bangalore City depended on the Cauvery for potable water.
He suggested that the State government present a white paper on the availability of water in the State to the Supreme Court, which is hearing a case on sharing the Cauvery river water.
Common platform
“The JD(S) fought for the State’s cause in the Cauvery issue for decades. But, we have never received any support from other parties. The BJP and Congress are both involved in blame game. All parties need to forget their differences and unite on a common platform,” he said.
He blamed the Centre for snubbing him. “When I met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the Cauvery issue, he asked me to concentrate on my health. Even the Union Law Minister and Water Resources Minister did not give any concrete response,” he said.
The party said it will intensify the struggle from Wednesday against the alleged compromise with Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery issue.
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