BENGALURU: The Congress on Friday urged the State Government to convene an all-party meeting to discuss river-linking projects announced in the recent Union Budget. Opposition Leader in the Assembly Siddaramaiah said that the Centre taking such decisions without consulting states will result in more inter-state disputes over river water sharing. Stating that such projects are not feasible, he said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman may have announced it as she hails from Tamil Nadu.
After Rajasthan, Karnataka has the highest rain-fed agricultural land, but linking of rivers will ensure that Tamil Nadu gets more water, Siddaramaiah said and added that the Centre must call a meeting of CMs of southern states and also an all-party leaders’ meeting to explain which state gets how much water.
In the federal system, states have the right to get all information, he added. He said even four days after the budget was presented BJP MPs, MLAs, ministers and even the CM have not spoken about it and how can they protect the state’s interests.
“The State Government must immediately call an all-party meeting and explain its stand on river-linking. They must tell people if it benefits the state or not,” he said He said they will not indulge in politics when it comes to land, water, language and border issues and deciding on river-linking without consulting the states is against the federal system.