BENGALURU: The BJP has slammed the Congress government in the state for releasing 1.24tmcft of water from Karnataka’s reservoirs to Telangana, against the state’s interests. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said the government last year had secretly released Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, despite the state reeling under severe drought, and now, disregarding the scorching summer, it has released 1.24tmcft of water from the Almatti and Narayanpur reservoirs to Telangana.
Addressing DCM DK Shivakumar, Ashoka said, “... though officials have advised that releasing water now will cause trouble to the state, you are releasing water to Telangana for your own political gains, despite opposition from farmers.
Did you make any secret agreement with the Telangana Congress to please your high command for the CM’s post?” he asked. “Is your political self-interest more important than protecting the interests of farmers and common people in the state? On what authority did you give permission to release Karnataka’s water to Telangana?
Self-respecting Kannadigas should teach this traitorous Congress government a lesson for denying water to Karnataka, while releasing water to other states,” he charged.
Responding to allegations that water was released from Narayanpur overnight, the DCM said, “Riverine states help each other in times of distress. They have helped us on many occasions and we will help them. 1tmcft of water was released because the irrigation minister of Telangana personally requested for it.”