BELAGAVI: Claiming that there is no work on the Kalsa Bhandura site, Karnataka Minister for Water Resources MB Patil who visited the site on Monday criticised the BJP for playing political games with an eye on forthcoming elections in Karnataka. He also dared Government of Goa to file a ‘contempt suit’.
Speaking to media persons at the site, Patil also criticised Goa Water Resources Minister Vinod Paliencar for allegedly using a derogatory word against the people of Karnataka and for accusing Karnataka government of indulging in contempt of court by resuming work on Mhadei project.
Patil also accused BJP President Amit Shah, Karnataka BJP President BS Yeddyurappa and Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of indulging in a “maha drama” to divert attention in the run up to the forthcoming assembly elections in Karnataka.
“The state government has halted work on the Mhadei project at Kankumbi by building two retainer walls across Kalsa rivulet, ever since Supreme Court ordered halting of work. Hence, the question of restarting work on the project doesn’t arise,” Water Resources Minister MB Patil.
“BJP leaders, particularly Parrikar, Shah and Yeddyurappa, are trying to mislead people of Goa and Karnataka with an intention to divert people's attention, as the issue is expected to backfire on their party.”
“Their efforts to gain sympathy of the apex court and Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal by resorting to such tactics will not materialise,” said Patil, while daring Goa government to file a contempt of court suit against Karnataka.
Speaking further, the minister said Karnataka would expose all lies of Goa government and BJP leaders on Mhadei before the tribunal, when the case comes up for hearing on February 16.
Criticising Paliencar for allegedly using a derogatory word against the people of Karnataka, Patil said: “We condemn the filthy statements which Paliencar issued while standing on Karnataka's soil and demand an apology from Parrikar. Paliencar has made an attempt to spoil the cordial relations between people of Goa and Karnataka,” said Patil.
He also objected to Paliencar's visit to the Mhadei site, terming it a drama at the behest of Amit Shah, Yeddyurappa and Parrikar.
“Chief Minister Siddramaiah wrote 15 letters to the Centre and Goa government, and even took an all-party delegation to the prime minister, but never got any response with an intention of getting Mhadei issue resolved out of court.”
“Now, when the (Karnataka) election draws closer, Parrikar writes a letter in haste to his party president of Karnataka, Yedyurappa, violating the protocol, that he is ready to resolve the issue. To gain political mileage out of it, Yeddyurappa reads out Parrikar's letter in BJP's Parivartana Rally,” Patil added.
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BJP LEADERS SLAMMED
Patil accused Amit Shah, BS Yeddyurappa and Manohar Parrikar of indulging in a “maha drama” to divert attention in the run up to the forthcoming assembly elections in Karnataka
PALIENCAR ASSAILED
For allegedly using a derogatory word against the people of Karnataka and for accusing Karnataka government of indulging in contempt of court by resuming work on Mhadei project
EXHIBITION OF CONFIDENCE
The minister says Karnataka would expose all lies of Goa government and BJP leaders on Mhadei before the tribunal, when the case comes up for hearing on February 16
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Karnataka guns blaze at
Paliencar over remarks
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The abusive words used against #Kannadigas by @BJP4India Irrigation Minister from Goa are reprehensible, to say the least.
- Karnataka Chief Minister
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THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI: Goa Water Resources Minister Vinoda Paliencar’s statement calling Kannadigas ‘haraami’ witnessed furious reaction from the Karnataka side with several Karnataka leaders including the Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP’s own BS Yeddyurappa slamming the minister for his choice of words.
This despite Paliencar claiming that he was misquoted by journalists, even though a recording of the incident clearly shows that he said it, intentionally or otherwise.
“The abusive words used against #Kannadigas by @BJP4India Irrigation Minister from Goa are reprehensible, to say the least. However, we hold no grudge against the people of Goa. We will continue to strive to secure drinking water from #Mahadayi for our people,” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah†tweeted.
BJP leader took an even stronger stand against Paliencar demanding an apology from him.
“I strongly condemn and demand an unconditional apology from Goa Forward Party leader and Goa Water Resources Minister Vinod Palyekar for his derogatory remarks and insulting Kannadigas. @vinod_palyekar,” Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa said also on Twitter.
Also wading into the debate was H D Kumaraswamy, former Karnataka CM and President, Karnataka JDS.
“Derogatory remarks against Kannadigas by the Goa minister to please Goans highly condemnable. It doesn't suit his post as a minister... Kumaraswamy,” said.
Earlier Paliencar tried to blame journalists for misquoting him. “The so-called abusive words were misquoted & reported by Journalist without being present for the press conference.Our Goa Govt’s decision to protect its water remains unchanged,” Paliencar said tagging both Yeddyurappa and Siddaramaiah in his tweet.
Paliencar while referring to his visit to Kankumbi where the work is allegedly on, Paliencar said that he had taken a police force along because the people there are “harami.”
“They are harami people. They can do anything,” Paliencar said.
“I went with a team of Water Resource department officials to the site and saw that the work on the head regulator was on and the flow of water which comes to Goa was being stopped and diverted towards Karnataka. The photographs are clear. I have spoken to the Chief Minister and have given him the whole report," Palienkar said.
He also said that “Karnataka is doing a dirty thing.”
“I told reporters in Karnataka that their government is doing a dirty thing, by violating court orders. Karnataka is trying to destroy Goa's identity by diverting the Mhadei water. We will not let them succeed,” Palienkar said, adding that the Southern state was indulging in “dirty politics”.
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Goa files fresh arguments
before Mhadei Tribunal
PANAJI: The State of Goa filed a three-volume “brief summary” of arguments before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal essentially opposing Karnataka’s plans to divert water from the “water deficit” rain-fed Mhadei basin “since it would result in a complete disaster of aquatic life, marine life, and terrestrial ecology and deprive the people of Goa of the Water for drinking as well as irrigation and industrial purposes.”
The State of Goa is primarily opposed to the proposed 12 Projects of the State of Karnataka as well as the Projects of the State of Maharashtra, trans-basin diversion, the Water Resources Department said in a statement.
The first volume contains the case and pleadings of the state of Goa, along with excerpts of the evidence on hydrology placed by the state of Goa through its witnesses C M Pandit and Sandeep Nadkarni.
The second volume contains arguments and submissions on the environmental aspect as pleaded by the state of Goa and so also the evidence placed by the state of goa through its witnesses on marine wildlife, marine ecology, environmental flows and adverse impacts to environmental proved in evidence by the state of Goa.
The third volume contains the specific arguments on various legal issues such as non-compliance of the state of Karnataka to various statutory provisions, and so also a referral to the international law on river disputes and diversion of water, among others.
