JDS members today staged a walkout in the state Karnataka legislative assembly demanding a two-day discussion over a tribunal's final award on sharing of Krishna river water, even as the House passed five bills.
The JDS members trooped out shouting slogans against government for giving priority to passing the bills over Krishna water issue even as Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra assured that the matter would be taken up after the bills are passed.
The bills which were passed are Karnataka Essential Maintenance Bill 2013, Panchayat Raj Bill 2013, Karnataka Town and Rural Amendment Bill 2013, Agricultural Science University Bill 2013 and Karnataka Stone Crushers Regulatory Authority Bill 2013.
BJP members, including party floor leader Jagadish Shettar, rapped the government for not taking up Krishna issue on priority.
Raising the water issue, Opposition Leader H D Kumaraswamy asked the government to take it up on priority basis as there has been no discussions held even after the tribunal gave its final verdict on November 29.
The government has taken the issue lightly and was only interested in passing the bills, he said.
"If the government has all the way come here only to pass bills without discussing issues relating to North Karnataka, then why should we really have a session in Belgaum," the Opposition Leader questioned.
Karnataka Janata Paksha member B S Yeddyurappa said Opposition members were willing to support government in passing the bills, but it is also important to discuss matters pertaining to North Karnataka, especially Krishna issue.
On December 2, Water Resources Minister M B Patil had said in the assembly that Karnataka is likely to approach Supreme Court against Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II allowing 4 tmcft of the river waters from the state's share to be utilised by Andhra Pradesh.
The tribunal had so far allocated 2578 tmc ft of water to riparian Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The three states would get 666, 907 and 1005 tmc ft of Krishna water, respectively.
