Amid Cauvery row, Karnataka Deputy CM appeals to TN to cooperate on Mekedatu project
Bengaluru, Jul 16: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday made a passionate appeal to the Tamil Nadu government to cooperate with the implementation of the Mekedatu project across river Cauvery which, he said, would be more beneficial to the neighbouring State.
He also expressed hope about "problems in releasing water to Tamil Nadu to get sorted out, if god permits" and the rains continue in the Cauvery catchment areas of Karnataka.
"One thing I would like to appeal to Tamil Nadu, for your interest and our interest. More than our interest it is your interest, this Mekedatu reservoir, you just permit us, whatever storage we will do, we will give you that water, we can't take back that water," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said: "It is my humble appeal on behalf of the people of Karnataka, where all sections -- Tamilians, Kannadigas, Andhraites and people from North India -- are there. It is for Bengaluru for drinking water and it is for you (Tamil Nadu). Please permit us for Makedatu, don't object, we will cooperate in whatever way we can."
ALSO READ: 1.5 tmcft of Cauvery water flowing to Tamil Nadu daily, says DK Shivakumar
Mekedatu is a multi-purpose (drinking water and power) project proposed by Karnataka, which involves building a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district.
Tamil Nadu has been opposing the project, raising apprehensions that the state would be affected if the project takes shape.
The project, once completed, is aimed at ensuring drinking water to Bengaluru and neighbouring areas (4.75 tmcft); it also can generate 400 MW power, and the estimated cost of the project is Rs 9,000 crore (2019 rates), according to Karnataka officials.
A separate Project Division and two Sub-Divisions have already been set up to implement the ambitious 'Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and drinking water project of Cauvery river valley', Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said, presenting the state budget in February.
"A survey to identify land that will be submerged under this project and the counting process of trees have already been initiated," he had also said, adding, "action will be taken on priority to commence the work early after obtaining remaining necessary clearances from the competent authorities."
Responding to a question regarding Tamil Nadu holding an all party meeting about getting Cauvery water for the state from Karnataka, Shivakumar said: "Tamil Nadu has every right to meet as we met, we don't object to their meeting, I don't want to comment on that."
He said: "At the same time from yesterday I'm getting good inflow, more than 50,000 cusecs inflow in Cauvery region, whatever is there we are allowing the water to go out of Harangi (dam), I think more than 20,000 cusecs was going out from Harangi and other places. If gods permit us, all our problems will be sorted out."
Asked if his government will honour the directive of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to release one tmcft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu if rains continue at this rate, Shivakumar said: "of course, of course, we have to (release), we will. Whatever the inflow is coming, we are not holding it, we are leaving it to Mettur (in Tamil Nadu)."
Siddaramaiah had after an all party meeting on Sunday said the government was ready to release 8,000 cusecs of water from the Cauvery river every day to Tamil Nadu instead of one tmcft (11,500 cusecs).
The storage in the four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin stood at 63 per cent of the total capacity and, in this situation, the state was not in a position to release one tmcft water every day, the Chief Minister had said.
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'Fraud on Constitution': SC rules against religious conversion for quota benefits
New Delhi (PTI): In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has said religious conversions undertaken solely to avail reservation benefits without genuine belief amounted to a "fraud on the Constitution".
Justices Pankaj Mithal and R Mahadevan passed the verdict on November 26 in a case filed by one C Selvarani and upheld a Madras High Court decision of January 24 denying a scheduled caste certificate to a woman who converted to Christianity but later claimed to be a Hindu to secure employment benefits.
Justice Mahadevan, who wrote the 21-page verdict for the bench, further underscored that one converted to a different religion, when they were genuinely inspired by its principles, tenets and spiritual thoughts.
"However, if the purpose of conversion is largely to derive the benefits of reservation but not with any actual belief in the other religion, the same cannot be permitted, as the extension of benefits of reservation to people with such ulterior motives will only defeat the social ethos of the policy of reservation,” he noted.
The evidence presented before the bench was found to have clearly demonstrated that the appellant professed Christianity and actively practiced the faith by attending church regularly.
"Despite the same, she claims to be a Hindu and seeks for a SC community certificate for the purpose of employment," it noted.
"Such a dual claim made by her," said the bench "was untenable and she cannot continue to identify herself as a Hindu after baptism".
The top court, therefore, held the conferment of scheduled caste communal status to the woman, who was a Christian by faith, but claimed to be still embracing Hinduism only for the purpose of availing reservation in employment, "would go against the very object of reservation and would amount to fraud on the Constitution".
The top court underlined a religious conversion solely to access reservation benefits, without genuine belief in the adopted religion, undermined the fundamental social objectives of the quota policy and her actions were contrary to the spirit of reservation policies aimed at uplifting the marginalised communities.
Selvarani, born to a Hindu father and a Christian mother, was baptised as a Christian shortly after birth but later claimed to be a Hindu and sought an SC certificate to apply for an upper division clerk position in Puducherry in 2015.
While her father belonged to the Valluvan caste, categorised under scheduled castes, he had converted to Christianity, as confirmed by documentary evidence.
The verdict said the appellant continued to practice Christianity, as seen by the regular church attendance, making her claim of being a Hindu untenable.
The bench noted individuals converting to Christianity lose their caste identity and must provide compelling evidence of reconversion and acceptance by their original caste to claim SC benefits.
The judgement said there was no substantial evidence of the appellant's reconversion to Hinduism or acceptance by the Valluvan caste.
Her claims lacked public declarations, ceremonies, or credible documentation to substantiate her assertions, it pointed out.
"One converts to a different religion when genuinely inspired by its principles. Conversion purely for reservation benefits, devoid of belief, is impermissible," the bench held.
The apex court opined in any case, upon conversion to Christianity, one lost their caste and couldn't be identified by it.
"As the factum of reconversion is disputed, there must be more than a mere claim. The conversion had not happened by any ceremony or through 'Arya Samaj'. No public declaration was effected. There is nothing on record to show that she or her family has reconverted to Hinduism and on the contrary, there is a factual finding that the appellant still professes Christianity,” it noted.
The bench said there was evidence against the appellant, and therefore, her contention raised that the caste would be under eclipse upon conversion and resumption of the caste upon reconversion, was "unsustainable".
