Oppn accuses K'taka govt of releasing Cauvery water to TN to save INDIA bloc ahead of LS polls
Bengaluru, Aug 17: Taking strong exception to the Karnataka government's decision to release Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, opposition BJP and JD(S) have accused the Congress dispensation of 'betraying' the people of the state and its farmers for the sake of politics and to save its INDIA bloc ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK is a major part of the opposition bloc.
While BJP leader and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said politics seems to have taken priority over the state's interest, another former CM and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy alleged that the Siddaramaiah administration has not taken the people and opposition into confidence on the issue.
Clarifying that he never tried to politicise the Cauvery river water issue, Bommai, targeting Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for making such allegations against him, said the Congress government was mixing politics.
ALSO READ: Karnataka: No plans to join Congress, says BJP MLA ST Somashekhar
"Congress along with other parties recently launched the INDIA alliance, and their partner in Tamil Nadu is DMK. This government releasing water to Tamil Nadu shortly after them (TN govt) raising the issue seems to be aimed at pleasing them and keeping them in good books for the sake of managing the alliance for the Lok Sabha polls," he alleged.
Kumaraswamy too, targeting Shivakumar, who is also water resources Minister, on the issue, urged the government to immediately stop release of water to Tamil Nadu.
Charging the Congress government with 'sacrificing' the interest of the state with respect to Cauvery river water to give life to INDIA alliance, he accused it of 'betraying' the Kannadigas, especially the farmers.
Tamil Nadu on Monday approached the Supreme Court with a plea to direct Karnataka to release 24,000 cusec of Cauvery water daily for standing crops.
Following this, Shivakumar had on Tuesday said Karnataka would release 10 tmcft of Cauvery river water to the neighbouring TN, while maintaining that the state doesn't have sufficient water in dams to meet its requirements like drinking water and agriculture, due to deficit monsoon.
"Cauvery river water dispute is not new, there is a tribunal order in which it is clearly mentioned about the quantity of water to be released for various crops. Tamil Nadu's Kuruvai crop is 1.80 lakh hectare for which 32 tmc water has to be released, but this time they have grown in about 4 lakh hectare and 60 tmc water is already used," Bommai told reporters.
Noting that state's officials should have brought it to the notice of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and should have protested against it, he alleged that the Karnataka government has failed to pay attention in this regard.
"Tamil Nadu is now asking for our farmer's share of water. State government delayed releasing water to our farmers and taking into account the water level at the reservoirs Tamil Nadu is now asking", he added.
Further alleging injustice to people and farmers of Karnataka in Cauvery basin amid "improper" monsoon and shortage of drinking water, Bommai said, despite being aware of the situation the state government is making audacious statements about releasing 10 tmc water to Tamil Nadu.
"The CM says we will not release (more) water, while the Deputy Chief Minister says things are not in our hands and will abide by legal advisors," he pointed out and said the government should instead tell the legal advisors to fight the case with records in the court.
Just because someone has gone to the Supreme Court, releasing water has never happened in the history of Karnataka, he said, adding, such decisions which are detrimental to the interest of the state, its people and farmers were never taken; this government has no commitment to protect the interest of the state, and has betrayed the people of Cauvery basin area.
Hitting out at Shivakumar for asking farmers of Cauvery basin to approach the court to release more water for crops, Bommai asked, if farmers have to go to courts, what is the need of electing representatives and government?
"People and farmers of Cauvery basin gave more MLAs to you (ruling Congress) to protect their interest, if you don't do it you will be betraying them," he said.
Kumaraswamy hit out at the Congress, calling it a symbol of 'deception' and 'betrayal of trust.'
"There is no question of tolerating this injustice (with respect to Cauvery river water). Release of water to Tamil Nadu should be stopped. Pressure should be put to follow the distress formula, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should immediately call an all-party meeting to discuss the Cauvery issue," he added.
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3rd T20I: A three-match 'audition' starts for Gill to find his game back
Dharamsala (PTI): The countdown to save his place in the playing XI begins for a beleaguered Shubman Gill, who is likely to get three matches against South Africa to prove his worth before the Indian team management switches to a ‘Plan B’ ahead of the T20 World Cup, starting in six weeks.
As India gear up to play the third T20I against the Proteas on Sunday in sub-10-degree temperatures in the lap of the ice-clad Dhauladhar range, things are suddenly heating up in the Indian dressing room, with the prolonged poor form of skipper Suryakumar Yadav coming under the scanner.
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Worse, his deputy Shubman Gill, who was pushed into the XI at the expense of a settled Sanju Samson, is not inspiring much confidence.
The South African pace attack featuring Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Ottniel Baartman and Lutho Sipamla — has shown how to bowl on Indian tracks, and the HPCA Stadium strip, offering extra bounce and some movement off the surface, will certainly keep them interested.
Among all T20 sides, South Africa, in terms of personnel, appears to have the requisite balance to win the trophy in the Indian subcontinent this time. Quinton de Kock’s return, along with the likes of Aiden Markram, Dewald Brevis, Donovan Ferreira, David Miller and all-rounder Jansen, gives their batting an intimidating look.
With only eight games, starting from the third T20I, left before the start of the T20 World Cup title defence, India's under-fire head coach Gautam Gambhir won't be able to afford, two out-of-form top-order batters in the starting line-up.
Being the skipper of the side, Surya will certainly have immunity going into the T20 World Cup despite being completely out of form for the past one year but same can't be said about Gill, who wasn't the original choice as an opener.
Gill's entry into the T20 set-up was a classic case of trying to fix something that ain't broken and things haven't looked good so far.
In this backdrop, Gill would need to bat out of his skin to prove that Ajit Agarkar-led committee wasn't wrong in throwing Samson under the bus for one bad series against England.
The stylish Indian Test and ODI skipper will have to find his T20 game and at least score in two of the three matches if he doesn't want Samson to get his rightful place back or for that matter, find Yashasvi Jaiswal, with a fabulous T20I strike-rate of 165, enter the fray during New Zealand series.
Lack of clarity
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While head coach Gambhir is too proud a person to admit but sending Axar Patel as a one drop batter during the second T20I was a "tactical brain fade" from the team's think-tank.
The kind misstep that was taken with Axar's promotion is unlikely to be repeated in the third game where skipper is expected to go back to No.3 where he has got a lot of success in his first few years at the international level.
Similarly, Shivam Dube being sent at number eight due to the shuffling of batting order was another poor call which would need course correction in the next game.
Is there a place for Kuldeep Yadav?
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Kuldeep Yadav is one bowler who has consistently troubled the Proteas batter but in an Indian team where batting till No. 8 is non-negotiable, the left-arm wrist spinner often finds himself getting the rough end of the stick.
At Dharamsala too, he might have to sit out as Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy, two non-batters can't be clubbed in the same T20 playing eleven as that would lead to compromise in batting depth.
While Arshdeep hasn't had a good series so far, it will be interesting to find if team management can find a place for Kuldeep in the playing eleven with Hardik Pandya sharing the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah.
The five-match series is currently tied 1-1.
Teams:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, NT Tilak Verma, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Ottniel Baartman, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde.
Match Starts at 7 pm.
