Monday, Oct 14, 2002
Monday, Oct 14, 2002 |
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News Analysis
By Kuldip Nayar
It is the Supreme Court which has tried to wake New Delhi from its slumber on the Cauvery water crisis — the crisis which has been building up between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for more than a month. The court has asked the Centre's agent to be present at the next hearing. Still New Delhi is conspicuous by its silence. This is strange because the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, had described two years ago the settlement of the Cauvery water dispute as the topmost achievement of his first year rule. True, he presided over the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) and asked Karnataka to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu every day. In fact, it was less than what the Supreme Court had ordered. Neither did the Central Government follow up the verdict, nor did the Prime Minister who, in fact, left for Europe soon after. Things were left as they were at a time when tension was mounting. I really thought that a team of top Central officials and water experts would be scurrying about in the two States, visiting the areas where the crop was wilting and where the impounded water was standing. The Central effort would have spread the much-needed impression that New Delhi had taken the mater in its own hand, from warring States, to find a way out of the impasse. I even imagined that the Prime Minister would send from abroad his Principal Secretary, Brajesh Mishra, to initiate efforts for a settlement. It would have underlined the seriousness of the situation. Instead, there is no word on the Cauvery water issue from Mr. Vajpayee after he has gone abroad. He talks to Indian journalists accompanying him almost daily but on other subjects. The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, has all the time to issue statements that Narendra Modi would be the next Chief Minister of Gujarat. But he, also the Home Minister, has said nothing to pacify the passions which are embroiling even artists, considered above parochial pulls. The BJP-led Government has been probably enjoying the spectacle: the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister officially giving a call for the State bandh and the Karnataka Chief Minister hurling a challenge that Tamil Nadu Government had no power to disrupt the supply of electricity to his State from the Neyveli Lignite Corporation. But the Central Government has an obligation towards the nation. The Constitution says so. I am not going into the merits of the dispute. But it should have ended after the Supreme Court and the CRA ordered the release of water. Instead of implementing the order, the Karnataka Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, goes on a padayatra to assuage the feelings of farmers. When he has not ordered the release of even a drop of water, what is the need for a padayatra except that he wants to parade himself as a hero — a person who has defied both the Centre and the Supreme Court even after contempt had been slapped against him. The Congress high command, which points out the violation of the Constitution day in and day out, has not said anything. It should have disciplined Mr. Krishna who has not only politicised the whole thing but also created bad blood between the people of neighbouring States. How could he use words like `our farmers', `their farmers'? Both belong to the same country. India is one and all parts belong to India. The Tamil Nadu lawyer might have been a bit melodramatic in his advocacy of the State's case but he was correct in giving a warning against the balkanisation of States. If all Chief Ministers were to copy Mr. Krishna, otherwise a liberal, what would happen to the Union? It is a pity that New Delhi failed to act when the CRA's award was flouted or when the Supreme Court was treated with disdain. Tamil Nadu's hartal was no less provocative. At least the sense of insecurity which has tormented the Tamilians in Karnataka and Kannadigas in Tamil Nadu should have evoked some concern in New Delhi. But it is business as usual in the capital.
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