The state government’s decision to release Cauvery water from Krishnarajasagar Reservoir to Tamil Nadu has come under fire, with former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and Raitha Sangha activists staging a protest and attempting to lay siege to the KRS.
They were later arrested. As the news of discharge of water to Tamil Nadu spread like wild fire, Yeddyurappa on his padayatra to Bangalore, changed direction of his marathon walk over the Cauvery issue and staged a rasta roko near Gejjalagere near Maddur by blocking the busy Mysore-Bangalore Road.
He along with former ministers Shobha Karandlaje, BJ Puttaswamy and hundreds of supporters proceeded towards Krishnaraja Sagar.
He raised slogans against the state and Centre for betraying the interest of the farmers and people of the Old Mysore region.
Addressing partymen and supporters, Yeddyurappa charged that the Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar had turned into an agent of Tamil Nadu by lifting the KRS sluice gates whenever the riparian state demanded water.
He said that the government and its counsel had failed to apprise the Supreme Court on the ground reality, prevailing drought situation, reservoir level and requirement of drinking water to the Centre.
Yeddyurappa said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was keen to save his minority government and was playing into the hands of the Tamil Nadu MPs.
He demanded Shettar’s resignation as he had failed to protect the state’s interest. He also threatened to intensify the stir if the government did not stop discharging water immediately. When Yeddyurappa and Shoba Karandlaje advanced towards the KRS North bank entrance, the police arrested him along with State Sugar Cane Association president Kurbur Shantha Kumar, and disbursed the mob.