Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has strongly urged the Congress government not to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu under any circumstances. Kumaraswamy expressed shock at the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee’s directive to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu and questioned the actions of the committee and the Cauvery Water Management Authority, stating they should be aware of Tamil Nadu’s expansion of irrigated land, which goes against tribunal orders.
He called for Karnataka to prioritize the interests of its farmers and the water needs of Bengaluru, criticizing the government’s release of water while the city’s residents remain silent on the matter. Kumaraswamy emphasized the need to highlight Tamil Nadu’s violation of the tribunal order and demand a distress formula, expressing disappointment in the government’s handling of the situation.