Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy accused the Congress-led Karnataka government of failing to address the drought crisis, noting that farmer suicides have resumed in the state. He expressed concern over the recent suicide of a farming couple in Hatna Bevukallu village of Mandya taluk due to debt and called for urgent government action to prevent further deaths. Speaking to reporters after visiting the village on July 31, he highlighted widespread crop losses and said banks were issuing notices to farmers with unpaid loans. Kumaraswamy criticised the absence of an agriculture minister during this period and said state leaders had focused on cabinet expansion talks in New Delhi instead of addressing local issues. He confirmed that the JD(S) would attend the all-party meeting called by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on the Cauvery dispute. Kumaraswamy urged parties to adopt a united stance to protect Karnataka’s interests and questioned the state’s approach before the Cauvery Water Management Authority. He said the authority should have assessed reservoir levels in both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before issuing directions and stressed that Karnataka could not release water when its own farmers faced shortages.
