Cauvery: Gowda tells Centre not to yield to TN's pressure tactics

JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda on Wednesday asked the Centre not to succumb to the "intimidating tactics" of Tamil Nadu's political leaders on the formation of Cauvery Management Board.

Addressing reporters here, Gowda said that by resorting to hunger strikes and protests, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam were "provoking" the people of Karnataka, instead of seeking a peaceful solution. Tamil Nadu had adopted such pressure tactics ever since the British Raj, the former prime minister said.

Stating that the Centre had an important role in creating a harmonious relationship between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Gowda hoped that it would not take any hasty decisions on the neighbouring state's demand for the Cauvery Management Board.

Gowda praised Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari for giving him a "patient hearing" on the injustices meted out to Karnataka by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.

He also said that if the situation warranted, both he and his party colleague C S Puttaraju were willing quit as Lok Sabha members. This would, however not matter much as the JD(S) was a "minority" with a mere two seats in the Lok Sabha. "Kannadigas are capable of fighting against injustice, but they want a peaceful solution. We are just asking for drinking water. It's not a crime to fight when injustice has been done," he said.