Cauvery: K'taka MLAs support Govt to fight legally

Bangalore, Feb 5 (UNI) Cutting across party lines, all members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly today extended support to the State Government to put up a legal fight to assert the State's right in the Cauvey water issue in the wake of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal pronouncing its verdict.

Raising the issue in the House, Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha leader Vatal Nagaraj said the verdict was a death blow to the interests of the State.

Terming the judiciary as an ''agent'' of Tamil Nadu, he flashed a black scarf in protest against the verdict.

Former Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah said the Government should plan further action to take up the issue within the legal framework, besides taking a delegation to the Centre to convince it of the State's stand.

Mr R V Deshpande (Congress) said the Government should immediately move the Tribunal with an interim application before the order was notified.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly N Dharam Singh said Tamil Nadu had lobbied hard to turn the case in its favour. Besides, the State advocates had failed to represent the case effectively. He asked the State Government to be alert and take the Opposition into confidence and plan further action.

Water Resources Minister K Eshwarappa said Tamil Nadu had been benefitted by the order by getting 12 tmc of water extra in comparison to the interim report.

The members also urged the Government to take proper measures to ensure law and order in the wake of the order.

UNI