In wake of the deteriorating law and order situation in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu following protests over the Supreme Court decision on Cauvery water dispute, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday asserted that the two state governments should initiate steps to ensure peace and seek assistance from the Centre for the same.
BJP leader Nalin Kohli told ANI the utmost priority as of now is peace so that people are not injured and public property is not damaged.
"The most important thing is that peace should return there, there should be no violence, there should be no situation where either anybody is caught in violence, injured in violence or there is any damage to any public property and in this context, everyone's effort should be that peace and calm should return," Kohli said.
"Whatever steps the state government has to take in terms of ensuring that the situation is kept under control and peace returns should be taken. And wherever they require help, I am sure they will ask the Central Government," he added.
One person was killed another injured in police firing in Bengaluru yesterday after the Supreme Court ordered Karnataka for release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.
Violence rocked Bengaluru, as about 30 vehicles from Tamil Nadu were torched, prompting Siddaramaiah-led government to issue prohibitory orders in the IT city, besides shutting metro rail operations, schools, colleges and some offices.
Retaliatory violence also erupted in Tamil Nadu as groups hurled bombs at Chennai's New Woodlands Hotel and attacked seven Karnataka buses in Rameswaram.
About 15,000 cops were deployed across IT city with focus in areas where Tamils live in large numbers.
The Supreme Court on Monday lambasted Karnataka for defying its order citing law and order situation in the state and said its stand "is absolutely disturbing" and "totally depreciable," but modified its September 5 order asking Karnataka to release a reduced amount of 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water per day to Tamil Nadu till September 20 from the earlier 15,000 cusecs a day.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday assured full assistance to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Governments to deal with the current state of violence.
Describing the violence in Karnataka as "alarming", Siddaramaiah wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart J. Jayalalithaa to ensure that the perpetrators of the violence are immediately brought to book.
Siddaramaiah appealed for peace and urged her to ensure the safety of Kannada speaking people living in the state and urged the Tamil Nadu authorities to take action against those indulging in violence.
Jayalalithaa wrote back, saying Tamils in Karnataka were in greater danger than Kannadigas in Tamil Nadu.
Expressing concern, she said, "Hotels and properties belonging to Tamils in Karnataka are being attacked and damaged. This is an alarming situation and is causing considerable anxiety."
Modifying its September 5 order, the apex court yesterday asked the Karnataka Government to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery River water every day to Tamil Nadu till September 20.
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