Cauvery row: TN farmers protest with human skull; Siddaramaiah decries stir taking 'political colour'

The row over Cauvery water sharing continues to boil again as Tamil Nadu farmers joined the protest in Trichy demanding the state's share of water. The state government's release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu following the Cauvery Water Management Authority's orders has sparked a huge agitation in Karnataka.

The National South Indian River Interlinking Farmers Association took to the streets at Trichy on Monday holding parts of human skulls, demanding their fair share of Cauvery water. The farmers staged a half-naked protest demanding proper compensation for the Kuruvai (short-term) crops. "We have been protesting here for the last 54 days because the central government hasn't given us profitable prices for our crops," said a protesting farmer.

Stir has been rocking Mandya, the Cauvery heartland, too as farmers and various pro-Kannada organisations staged a sit-in demonstration over the last few days. They alleged there was inadequate water in the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam for drinking water supply, let alone to meet the irrigation requirements of farmlands in the agriculture-dominated district.

Meanwhile, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has warned against the protest taking political colour. The farmers, he said, had the right to protest but political parties were fanning the people’s anger.  

"In a democracy, there is an opportunity to protest. We are not going to disrupt the protest. But the BJP-JDS party is playing politics in this. There is a hearing before the Supreme Court on Tuesday regarding the Cauvery issue. Our lawyers will present a competent argument," said Siddaramaiah.

Though the Opposition BJP and JDS have targeted him for failing to protect Karnataka's interest, the CM said he was bound by the order of the apex court. "There is a Supreme Court order. Our petition was dismissed in the Supreme Court, we argued that we cannot release water. We had filed an application in the court questioning the Cauvery authority’s order. The court rejected both our application and Tamil Nadu’s application," he said.

Last week, the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) directed Karnataka to continue releasing 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for another 15 days, after the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) made such a recommendation last week. 

Meanwhile, JD(S) MP and former Prime Minister HD Devegowda got emotional during his press conference on the Cauvery water-sharing issue. He requested the Center to send a team to Karnataka and let them investigate the present water situation in the state. "I'm alive not for politics or power. We are here to save the people of the state, my party exists for this," he told reporters.