Talk it out, says Deve Gowda

Expressing anguish over the decision taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Cauvery River Authority meeting in New Delhi recently, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda said on Monday that the water dispute should be resolved through dialogue.

He told reporters at the review meeting for Centre-sponsored schemes at the Zilla panchayat meeting, that the PM could have taken the decision after studying the ground realities by sending an expert team to the state. “The PM might have taken a harsh decision bowing to political pressure by Tamil Nadu. It has certainly affected the people of Karnataka which has been facing severe drought,” he said.

Urging the PM to reconsider the decision, he said the dispute may pave way for untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike members locked up the BSNL office protesting against the PM’s decision.

The protestors led by district KRV president Ravindra Kumar came in a procession shouting slogans against UPA government from Hemavathi statue to the BSNL office where they staged a dharna.