BJP to protest against release of water to Tamil Nadu

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said the party will undertake a 'Cauvery Rakshana Yatra' in the taluks on the river basin, to protest against the Karnataka government's release of water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

He also demanded that the government pay a compensation of Rs 25,000 for each acre to every farmer in the Cauvery basin.

The former chief minister spoke to reporters after attending a party meeting of leaders of the Cauvery basin region here, which was attended by veteran BJP leader and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa.

Alleging that the state government has failed to protect the interests of the state on the Cauvery issue, Bommai, said, "The management of Cauvery water should have happened in the month of June. We have not released even 30 per cent of water to our farmers. On the other hand, Tamil Nadu farmers are growing a second crop. Our (Karnataka) government miserably failed to make an impressive argument before the Cauvery Water Management Authority."