Shivkumar Blamed for Prioritising Politics Over Drought‑Stricken Farmers, Says R. Ashok

R. Ashok accused Chief Minister D.K. Shivkumar of putting political calculations ahead of the agrarian crisis enveloping the Cauvery basin. The opposition leader asserted that the chief minister is allowing water to cascade into Tamil Nadu while Karnataka’s own tanks and canals are drying up, leaving fields barren.

Ashok pointed to the stark contrast between the state’s low monsoon performance and the continued water release, labeling it “unacceptable.” He demanded an immediate ICC session to evaluate real‑time water storage across the state and called for urgent releases of water into village ponds, tanks, and canals to irrigate standing crops.

He further alleged that the Congress administration has entered a covert arrangement with the neighbouring state, compromising Karnataka’s water security. The opposition urged the chief minister to make a field visit to Mandya, a district at the heart of the protest, to gauge farmer anger and pain.

If the government fails to call the ICC meeting and guarantee water for the farms, Ashok warned that the BJP will rally thousands of farmers to surround the KRS reservoir, turning the protest into a full‑scale blockade.