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Govt tells SC: Cabinet in Karnataka, could not comply with order to finalise Cauvery scheme

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Govt tells SC: Cabinet in Karnataka, could not comply with order to finalise Cauvery scheme

The government on Tuesday, May 8, told the Supreme Court that the Union Cabinet has been unable to approve the Cauvery management scheme on river water sharing between four southern riparian states as the leaders, including the Prime Minister, were busy campaigning for Karnataka polls.

This expectedly drew the apex court’s ire and it warned the Centre that it was in “sheer contempt” of its February 16 verdict.

It asked the secretary of the Union Water Resources Ministry to appear before it on May 14 with the draft scheme.

The Union Cabinet had last met on May 2.

The SC verdict had directed the Centre to frame the Cauvery management scheme, which also includes creating the Cauvery Managament Board, within six weeks for smooth release of water from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry with a caveat that the deadline cannot be extended.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud told the Centre that once the judgment has been delivered on the issue, it has to be implemented.

Attorney General KK Venugopal claimed the draft scheme was ready but was not approved by the cabinet since the ministers were busy due to elections in Karnataka. He also urged the court to hear the matter after Karnataka elections are over.

The Tamil Nadu Government alleged that the non-framing of the policy was the blatant violation of the crucial judgement in the Cauvery case.

“You (Centre) are in sheer contempt,” the SC bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra told the Centre.

“We do not want to come back to square one. Once the judgment has been delivered, it has to be implemented,” the bench said.

The bench directed the Secretary of the Union Water Resources Ministry to personally appear before it on May 14 with the draft of the Cauvery management scheme to implement its verdict on water sharing between four riparian states.

At outset, senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for Tamil Nadu government, said that the state, facing acute water shortage, was not getting its due share. “We are being taken for a ride by the central government … Are we waiting for the votes to be cast on May 12 (in Karnataka polls),” the lawyer asked.

He vehmently opposed Venugopal’s plea that the case be adjourned till May 14 as the Union Cabinet could not meet to approve the draft Cauvery scheme due to campaigning in Karnataka.

“This is the fit case for contempt. Somebody has to be sent to jail,” Naphade said.

Venugopal referred to the sensitive nature of the Cauvery water dispute and said that Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have witnessed violent protests over it in the past. He referred to previous orders including the one which was passed on May 3 and said “the Cabinet was not available on that day and this is why we are seeking six to eight days time till May 14”.

Referring to the violence and deaths that followed the Supreme Court order in the SC/ST case, Venugopal said the presentation of a scheme before the elections can create a law and order problem in Karnataka just before the polls.

Taking exception to the submissions, the counsel for Tamil Nadu said, “Now, the cat is out of the bag.. we will not be getting the water”.

The bench intervened by saying, “We must understand the purpose behind framing the (Cauvery management) scheme. It is for implementation of the order”.

The CJI said court was not keen to let the matter linger and that the Centre cannot abdicate its duty to frame the scheme.

“By now the authority should have framed the scheme. It can’t go on like this. What you have done is sheer contempt.”

“As per the judgment it’s the duty of the authority to implement the decree. The executive authority has to deal with it. How much water problem is being faced by which state, only the authority can decide it. You are under obligation to implement the judgment,” CJI told the Centre

Venugopal assured the court that once the scheme is ready, water shall be released as per the SC judgment and the authority shall ensure the same.

The apex court had on February 16 asked the Centre to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance of its judgement on the decades-old Cauvery dispute. It had modified the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) award of 2007 and made it clear that it will not be extending time for this on any ground.

The top court had then raised the 270 tmcft share of Cauvery water for Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu’s share, while compensating it by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft groundwater from the river basin, saying the issue of drinking water has to be placed on a “higher pedestal”.

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Farooq Abdullah accuses PM Modi of trying to divide the country over religion

Faroukh Abdullah reacted to PM Modi’s remark that the Congress will redistribute people’s money and property to Muslims if voted to power and said Muslims respect all religions. He said that they are Muslims and Allah has told them to respect other religions. He further added that a Muslim cannot snatch anyone’s right.

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Farooq Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir’s National Conference President said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was trying to divide the country over religion. He also said that those who will vote for them must prepare for hell. Farooq Abdullah said Muslims cannot snatch away the rights of others.

Farooq Abdullah also called Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government a threat to the survival of the country. Omar Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister cautioned the people not to divide this country on the basis of religion, otherwise a storm will unleash making the survival of the nation difficult. He said it is better to talk about uniting the country, instead of dividing its people.

He was addressing an election rally in Thanamandi area of the Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir. The Anantnag parliamentary constituency will go for elections on May 25. Faroukh Abdullah reacted to PM Modi’s remark that the Congress will redistribute people’s money and property to Muslims if voted to power and said Muslims respect all religions. He said that they are Muslims and Allah has told them to respect other religions. He further added that a Muslim cannot snatch anyone’s right.

He remembered an incident when former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi once stopped his car in Pulwama and assured a poor Hindu woman that he would give her a mangalsutra as she could not afford it. Farooq Abdullah said those who were against the INDIA bloc are against the nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier sparked a controversy last month as he commented that the Congress would take away the hard-earned money of the masses and distribute them among infiltrators and those with many children.  Speaking at a rally today, the Prime Minister took a jibe at the Congress and said the governments in the past were not able to implement the Indian Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir. He was referring to the revocation of Article 370.

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Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah writes to PM Modi, urges home ministry to cancel diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna

CM Siddaramaiah wrote in the letter to PM Modi that he must be aware of the serious case of alleged sexual exploitation of a number of women by the sitting Hassan Lok Sabha member of Parliament (MP) and the NDA candidate, Prajwal Revanna, for the same constituency for the  ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he urged the Home Affairs Ministry to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna. Earlier a day before Revanna was suspended by JD(S) amid a row over explicit videos. Revanna is believed to have escaped to Germany shortly after the first phase of elections ended in Karnataka on April 26, in which he was JD(S)-BJP’s candidate from Hassan.

CM Siddaramaiah wrote in the letter to PM Modi that he must be aware of the serious case of alleged sexual exploitation of a number of women by the sitting Hassan Lok Sabha member of Parliament (MP) and the NDA candidate, Prajwal Revanna, for the same constituency for the  ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Karnataka Chief Minister wrote in letter that the Congress government in Karnataka has constituted a Special Investigation Team to investigate the allegations against Revanna. The SIT is working day and night to investigate the allegations of crimes against several women by Prajwal Revanna and getting him back to the country is of utmost importance so that he faces investigation and trial as per the existing law of the land.

Siddaramaiah urged PM Modi to move the Home Ministry to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna and appropriate action must be taken using diplomatic and police channels of the Government of India as well as international police agencies to ensure the swift return of the absconding member of parliament to face the existing law of the land.

Suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, accused of sexually assaulting multiple women, broke his silence on Wednesday and said that truth will prevail soon. In his first response since the controversy erupted, Prajwal Revanna said on X that he is not in Bengaluru currently and has communicated the same to CID.

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Amit Shah says BJP will neither remove reservation for SCs, STs and OBC, nor will allow Congress to do so

The Home Minister alleged that the Congress’ formula was to speak lies loudly, publicly and repetitively. He advised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge not to speak lies for a family as eventually he will have to take the blame for the party’s loss in the Lok Sabha elections

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday continued to attack Congress over reservation row. He was addressing a rally in Katghora town of Chhattisgarh’s Korba district to campaign for Saroj Pandey, BJP candidate from the Korba Lok Sabha seat where Shah said BJP will neither remove reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs, nor will it allow Congress to do so.

The Home Minister alleged that the Congress’ formula was to speak lies loudly, publicly and repetitively. He advised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge not to speak lies for a family as eventually he will have to take the blame for the party’s loss in the Lok Sabha elections. Shah accused Congress of nurturing terrorism and Naxalism to win the Lok Sabha elections.

Shah further added that Congress claims if Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji gets majority for the third term, he will scrap reservation. He said the grand old party has even circulated his fake video. Shah said that have been in power for the last 10 years and PM Modi did not remove reservation, nor will he do it in the future.

The Union Home Minister further asserted Modi ji used the majority to scrap Article 370 and triple talaq, construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and introduce the Citizenship Amendment Act. He further told the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi do not belong to anyone. He said on June 4 Congress will suffer defeat and the brother-sister duo will remain safe, but Kharge ji will be blamed.

Shah further asserted if PM Modi becomes the prime minister for the 3rd straight term, then Naxalism will be uprooted in two years in Chhattisgarh.  Shah targeted the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led government in Chhattisgarh and said, The Bhupesh Kakka government encouraged Naxalism, but after the BJP came to power in the state under CM Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma 95 Naxalites have been eliminated in 4 months.

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