BJP leader asks Karnataka to learn from Tamil Nadu on protecting interests of farmers

Accusing the Karnataka government and Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of failing to protect the interests of the State with respect to the Cauvery, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Arvind Bellad on Wednesday remarked that the State should learn from Tamil Nadu on protecting its share of water as well as its farmers during distress.

Participating in a debate in the Assembly on drought, Mr. Bellad argued that the fact that Karnataka was repeatedly asked by the Cauvery authorities to release water to Tamil Nadu was a clear indication of the “failure” of the Karnataka government to present its case strongly.

Though Tamil Nadu exceeded the geographical area for cultivation of crops allocated to it in its Cauvery command region, Karnataka failed to highlight this before the Cauvery monitoring authorities or the Supreme Court, he alleged.