Unity on Cauvery issue, support of all party MPs: DCM DK Shivakumar

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that despite political differences, MPs from all parties have promised to stand united for the state on the Cauvery issue.

Speaking to the media after the meeting of all party parliamentarians at Delhi's Taj Hotel, DCM Shivakumar said, "All parliamentarians have promised to raise their voice in the Parliament session on the Cauvery issue."

"The Chief Minister and I met Union Minister Prahlad Joshi late on Tuesday night and held a discussion. He said he has promised to explain the situation to Union Hydropower Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The Cauvery Water Management Committee has not allocated a proper formula regarding how much water should be allocated when the rain falls less. He said that it is unscientific to say that 5,000 cusecs of water should be released.

Hope to get justice in the Supreme Court

“The availability of Cauvery water in the state is very less, we will convince the Supreme Court of this. We are sure to get justice there. Karnataka has been facing the most difficult situation in the last 120 years. "The Cauvery Water Management Authority has ordered the release of 5,000 cusecs of water, which has led to all these problems," he said.

"Karnataka government is grateful to the BJP, Congress, Janata Dal and non-party MPs and Rajya Sabha members who came to the meeting saying that we will always stand as the backbone of the state's soil and water conservation," he said.

Congress's dream has come true

Answering a question about the Women's Reservation Bill, he said, "The Women's Reservation Bill is the brainchild of the Congress party. Rajiv Gandhi had ushered in the 73rd and 74th Amendment for women's reservation in local bodies. The bill was introduced under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi during the second term of the UPA, but the bill did not get a majority in the Lok Sabha. We welcome the agreement now, it is a historic decision," he said.