Mandya (Karnataka), July 13 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka on Monday warned that the BJP would lay siege to the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) reservoir if the Karnataka government failed to release water for standing crops in the Cauvery basin within the next three days.
Ashoka, who visited drought-hit sugarcane fields in Malavalli and nearby villages in Mandya district, interacted with farmers and assessed crop damage caused by the shortage of irrigation water. Addressing reporters later, he accused the Congress government of ignoring the plight of farmers while remaining preoccupied with Cabinet expansion.
He urged the state government to immediately convene an all-party meeting on the Cauvery water-sharing issue and declare drought in the affected regions.
According to Ashoka, Karnataka must formulate a united strategy to protect the interests of its farmers, especially when neighbouring Tamil Nadu has been aggressively pursuing its claims through legal channels.
“The government should first discuss the drought situation and the Cauvery issue instead of focusing on political matters. If water is not released from KRS within three days, the BJP will lay siege to the reservoir and ensure that water is released for farmers,” he said.
Ashoka argued that the government should release water at least once to save the standing sugarcane crops.
He recalled that in previous years, water had been released for crops even when the storage level in the KRS reservoir was around 86 feet.
“Even if water is not provided for new cultivation, the existing crops must be protected. Farmers who have suffered crop losses should also be compensated. Declaring drought is essential so that relief measures such as subsidies for fodder and drinking water can be extended,” he said.
The BJP leader also criticised the state leadership, alleging that ministers and ruling party legislators were more focused on securing ministerial positions than addressing the concerns of farmers.
He said discussions should not be limited to Congress legislators and urged the government to consult MLAs from all political parties before taking decisions on the Cauvery issue.
–IANS
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