Apex court warns Karnataka and TN over threats to peace

new delhi — The Supreme Court on Thursday took Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments to task for failing to check violence following its order on the Cauvery dispute, asserting that its verdict ‘has to be complied with’ and violent agitation would serve no purpose as those aggrieved were free to take legal recourse.

Asserting that the people cannot take law into their hands, the apex court directed the two states to ensure there is no violence, agitation, destruction and damage to properties following its order on Cauvery water sharing and asked them to maintain peace, calm and dignity for law.

“We are compelled to state that it is the duty of both the states (Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) to see that no violence, agitation or destruction of properties takes place,” a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit said, adding “we sincerely hope that wisdom shall prevail on competent authorities of both the states and that peace will prevail.” The bench also warned that “when there is court order, there should not be any violent agitations and any party aggrieved has the liberty to take legal recourse for mitigation of their grievances.”

“We reiterate neither any strike nor bandh or agitation can take place when the court has passed an order and it has to be complied with. In any difficulty, concerned parties can approach the court and people cannot take law unto themselves. It is the obligation of both the states to prevent such actions,”

Police take away activists as they were trying to enter a railway station to stop trains in Bengaluru.

the bench said referring to its 2009 judgement which had laid down guidelines to deal with situations of violence and destruction of properties by protestors and agitators.

“We expect both the states to maintain peace, calm, harmony — PTI and dignity for law”, the bench said.

The apex court, which posted the hearing on September 20 on the plea for direction to both states to take preventive measures and assessing the damages to public and private properties during agitation, said it will also take up the main matter of Cauvery water dispute.

The court had on Wednesday agreed to hear the plea seeking direction to the Centre, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to maintain law and order in these two states witnessing violent protests in the wake of a row over distribution of Cauvery water. On September 12, the apex court modified its earlier order on sharing of Cauvery water and directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs instead of 15,000 cusecs per day till September 20 to Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru police on Thursday decided to continue prohibitory orders in the violence-hit city where normalcy has been restored.

As a preventive measure, Section 144 has been extended till September 25 midnight in Bengaluru and strong bandobast continues, senior police officials said, adding that life is normal everywhere.

Prohibitory orders were clamped on Monday after violence erupted with dozens of buses and lorries with Tamil Nadu number plate being set on fire as mobs let out their fury over reports of some incidents of attack on Kannadigas and their property in the neighbouring state.

Despite the call given by proKannada organisations for a ‘rail roko’ on Thursday to protest against release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, train services remained normal across the state. — PTI

Rs250b worth of properties damaged