Cauvery dispute can only be resolved mutually: Gowda

Gowda, also a former Chief Minister of Karnataka, said this quarrel will not be resolved legally.If at all our friends want to have some sort of smooth understanding, let all of us sit together and sort out the problem otherwise things will continue and the struggle from both sides will go on...this problem will not be solved unless we sit together and try to sort it out.

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Monday said the Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu cannot be resolved legally, asserting that all sides need to sit together to solve the decades-old problem. Participating in a discussion on 'Parliamentary Journey of 75 Years Starting from Samvidhan Sabha -- Achievements, Experiences, Memories and Learnings' in the Rajya Sabha, Gowda said that at the all-party meeting held on Sunday, ''some of our friends from the neighbouring state'' raised the Cauvery issue. ''I don't want to go into the merits and demerits of what is going on,'' he said noting that the issue has been there for the past 60 years. Gowda, also a former Chief Minister of Karnataka, said ''this quarrel'' will not be resolved legally.

''If at all our friends want to have some sort of smooth understanding, let all of us sit together and sort out the problem otherwise things will continue and the struggle from both sides will go on...this problem will not be solved unless we sit together (and) try to sort it out. Legal battle certainly is not going to solve this problem,'' the Rajya Sabha MP added.

Gowda further said that he stood by the people of Karnataka who are suffering as the state is ''worst sufferer''. ''Let five members of this House on both sides, not belonging to either Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, you (Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar) please delegate. Let them go and see the condition, what people are suffering and then let them report to this House, I will accept that. Let us not unnecessarily quarrel,'' he said.