BELAGAVI
With Goa's Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar turning down Karnataka’s request for a joint meeting to seek an amicable out-of-court settlement, Karnataka now plans to urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the Mhadei dispute.
Taken aback by the attitude of Goa, the Karnataka leaders have also stated that it would have been appreciable on the part of the Goan authorities had they been courteous enough to listen to the Karnataka delegation.
Speaking to The Goan, Karnataka Minister for Water Resources M B Patil said he was rather shocked on receiving a negative reply from Goa.
“The letter was sent to Goa after a demand from the BJP leaders in Karnataka. We had expected that Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar would have heard our delegation and then arrived at a conclusion. Shockingly, Goa was not courteous to even listen to us,” said Patil.
“Karnataka was expecting that Goa could have been fair enough in organising the talks with their terms and conditions.”
When asked about Karnataka’s next move, the Minister said that the talks was also a prerogative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Now, the ball is in the Prime Minister’s court. We will be soon writing a letter to Modi apprising him of the latest developments and its fallout in Karnataka. At least now, we expect him to intervene and call for the meeting of chief ministers from both the states,” Patil said.
He also blamed the BJP leaders in Karnataka for their double-speaking attitude.
“Leader of Opposition Jagdish Shettar was the one who was pressuring on us to urge Goa for an out-of-court settlement. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar too had favoured the same during his visit to Hubli recently. However, while the Defence Minister Parrikar retracted after reaching Goa, the BJP leaders cannot persuade their own party leaders at the Centre and in Goa. They are now trying to save their skins by blaming Chief Minister Siddaramiah,” said Patil, adding that the BJP had been totally exposed for the double game.
Meanwhile, farmers’ leaders in Karnataka who are up-in-arms against Goa’s attitude will be further intensifying their agitation.
“A meeting is being convened shortly to discuss our future course of action,” Vijay Kulkarni of the Kalsa-Bhandura Horata Samiti said.
Incidentally, the Centre has also indicated its intention to stay away from intervening in the matter, with Union minister for Water Resources Uma Bharti writing a letter that Mahadayi river tribunal has been set up to resolve the water sharing dispute between Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa.
