Dear Editor,
Bandh is organized as a token of expression of anger against the policies of government. Bandh is a self-destruction act. There are many occasions in the past that the bandhs started with silence have ended with violence. Silent bandhs have also telling effect on the economy of the state or nation. Violent bandhs would not only play destructive role on economy front but also leave the day with stains of blood and destruction of public property. It is easy for government to be blind and deaf for silent bandh. It is God-sent opportunity for the ruling parties to round up the people involved in the organization of bandh if it turns violent.
Several Kannada outfits have called for bandh on September 26 and 29 in protest against the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) asking Karnataka to release 15000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days. The Supreme Court has endorsed the decision of the CWMA and asked the Karnataka government to obey the order. The interest of Karnataka farmers has been ignored. Government is caught in the hands of court orders on the one hand and striking people on the other. This is a sense of de javu. Not new for now. The Cauvery water war raises its head whenever the rain plays truant. Refusal of the Supreme Court to intervene in the matter is shocking. Congress in the nation as a whole and DMK in Tamil Nadu are parts of I.N.D.I.A. Congress can be in no mood to hurt the D.M.K. When the matter has been adjudicated by the CWMA and the Supreme Court has declined to intervene, the suggestion of BJP for the Congress to persuade Sonia Gandhi to initiate talks with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin and the suggestion of Congress for the BJP to persuade the Prime Minister to intervene in the matter serves no purpose. Because the DMK is not under the control of Congress. Beyond this, DMK is the political opponent of the BJP. If Sonia suggests something to Stalin, Stalin may politely say ‘no’ and if Modi suggests something, he may sternly say ‘no’. Results are no different in both the situations. It is easy for the Congress to ask all the Lok Sabha MPs to resign because it has only one MP from its party. 25 of the 28 MPs are from BJP. Even if all the 25 MPs resign, the government at centre cannot be dislodged. If the Chief Minister of Karnataka resigns and no one comes forward to head the government, the centre has the power to impose President’s rule in such a situation on the ground that the government cannot be run on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. The central government obeys the order of the Court or CWMA. In no case, the release of water can be avoided. If the people in Karnataka have come to street on the Cauvery water issue, the top court must open its eyes and see the plight of people in Karnataka and deliver its verdict acceptable to both the states. Reduced quantum of water ordered for release by 50 per cent can placate the anger of the ryots of Karnataka. Top court can only do something to de-escalate the tension on Cauvery water release.
K.V. Seetharamaiah
