SMK tells govt to take tough stand

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister S M Krishna on Tuesday termed the Supreme Court order to release more water to Tamil Nadu a pervert judgement and called up on the state government to take tough decisions to safeguard the interest of the state.

Addressing reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence here, he said he has not come across such an order from the Apex court since India secured independence.

“The judges perhaps did not have proper information on sacrifices made by people for constructing the KRS reservoir. The royal family (of the then Mysore state) had pledged their jewellery to mobilise resources to construct the reservoir…It (the Supreme Court) is supposed to uphold the Constitution. Instead, it is demolishing it brick by brick,” he stated strongly opposing the order to set up the Cauvery Management Board.

He advised the state government to challenge the division bench order before the full bench of the Supreme Court. He, however, refused to answer a question on whether the state government should continue to release water to Tamil Nadu. “I have also gone through such a crisis when I was the chief minister…Entire people of the state are with the government. It should take a tough decision to safeguard the state’s interest,” he said.

Resolve through talks
He also said the issue can be resolved through talks. All the riparian states should try to resolve the water-sharing issue by holding talks, he added.

On the demand for intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi into the issue, Krishna said the issue is between the states and the court. The Centre has no role in the issue, he added.