Terming Karnataka’s refusal to release Cauvery water as “deliberate defiance”, Tamil Nadu on Thursday said the act of the neighbouring State goes against the spirit of the Constitution itself and amounts to contempt of court.

“Karnataka has not followed the orders of the Supreme Court and has on the other hand permitted unruly elements to create law and order issues,” Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said.

In her speech, which was read out on behalf of Tamil Nadu by the Chief Secretary, P. Rama Mohana Rao, at the meeting convened on the directions of the Supreme Court by the Ministry of Water Resources on the Cauvery issue, she said it was very unfortunate that not only was water not released as stipulated, but also ever since the first interim directions of the Supreme Court dated September 5, an orchestrated spate of arson and violence was unleashed, directed at Tamils living in Karnataka many of whom are poor labourers eking out a meagre living in a neighbouring State.

“Many large and small properties and establishments owned by Tamils were systematically targeted, ransacked and burnt,” she said adding “a large number of vehicles bearing Tamil Nadu registration were burnt and vandalized”.

“Tamil people living in Karnataka have been living in fear whenever Tamil Nadu has claimed its rightful share of water in judicial forums, though all judicial forums have seen merit and justice in our case,” Jayalalithaa said.
Claiming that Karnataka did not at any time honour the interim order of the tribunal, she pointed out that only the surplus flood waters which its reservoirs could not hold, flowed to Tamil Nadu.

Urging the Centre to constitute the body immediately without waiting for the four weeks time stipulated by the Supreme Court, Jayalalithaa said “we are in dire need of water in Tamil Nadu”.

Asking the Centre to ensure that Karnataka complies with the orders of the Supreme Court and releases water to Tamil Nadu, she said “this is absolutely vital for the survival of at least a single Samba crop in the Cauvery Delta which is the granary of Tamil Nadu as well as to meet the drinking water needs of large number of towns and villages”.