Karnataka Minister refutes Opposition allegations on release of Basavasagar water to Telangana
Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said that Opposition leaders, including former Minister Narasimha Naik (Raju Gowda), were levelling false accusations purely for political gain
Karnataka Minister Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil firmly denied Opposition allegations on November 1, 2026, that his state released water from the Basavasagar reservoir to Telangana on "verbal instructions". In Yadgir, he told reporters that opposition leaders like former Minister Narasimha Naik were making such accusations for political advantage.
He questioned how authorities could release water without proper records of the outflow. Regarding the proposed farmers' bandh on November 6 over the water crisis, Patil affirmed that decisions on Warabandhi restrictions from the Irrigation Consultative Committee (ICC) are final. He emphasized that all decisions are made after thorough evaluations considering reservoir storage, inflow levels, and local water requirements, with ensuring drinking water during summer being their top priority.
He did not address direct threats from Raju Gowda to enforce the bandh if water releases aren't extended until the end of November. Patil also criticized Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for his political tactics, dismissing his claims as unsubstantiated. Regarding a recent sting operation, he stated a transparent investigation is ongoing, and those found guilty would face severe consequences.
He assured farmers affected by drought that compensation distribution is underway and funds will soon be released. On law and order, Patil vowed zero tolerance for illegal sand mining, unauthorized rice transport, and untouchable incidents, directing the district administration and police to act immediately on complaints.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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