Cauvery dispute: BJP wants PM's intervention

Chennai, Apr 23: The BJP today demanded the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to resolve the vexed Cauvery issue and favoured inclusion of one Farmers' Association representative each from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in the the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT).

Talking to reporters here, Former Union Minister and BJP National Secretary Bandaru Dattatreya said the directive of CWDT came as a huge surprise for the people of Tamil Nadu, especially the farmers, who were expecting a positive decision from it.

''When the Tribunal Chairman gives a dissenting note, backing it up with all evidence, it is high time for Prime Minister to take up the issue by including one representative each from the farmers associations of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka,'' he added.

Observing that a sensitive issue like Cauvery could not be solved in a bureaucratic manner, Mr Dattatreya said the farmers were the best judges as they knew the actual position on the ground.

The CWDT should give a fair decision based on ground realities without any political reasons, he said.

''At the time of elections it is a sensitive matter. We should not score on political grounds. Both the Central and state governments should use all it influence with the Prime Minister to ensure the final verdict is not further delayed.''

Mr Dattatreya said the BJP would make Cauvery an election issue and take it up with the Prime Minister. He also wanted the Prime Minister to include the farmers' representatives in a week and submit a report to the Tribunal for an early solution. The farmers problems have been represented before the CWDT several times over the last 16 years. Despite this, if the expert committee, as suggested by the Tribunal was formed, it will put the farmers in Cauvery delta areas in further misery.

''It was very important that all 13 Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu immediately exert pressure on the Prime Minister and ensure the issue is amicably settled.'' It was the duty of the state and the Central governments to ensure the final verdict of the CWDT was not further delayed, as it would lead to greater exploitation of farmers in the delta areas.

Mr Dattatreya said all major political parties should arrive at a consensus in Parliament on the Cauvery issue and the Prime Minister should take the lead in this regard. He also called for a debate in Parliament to resolve the issue.

UNI