Bangalore: Union Minister of Environment and Forests T R Baalu on September 16 lashed out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, charging her with "overbearing and autocratic attitude" and failing to take Opposition parties and farmers in her state into confidence on the Cauvery issue.

The senior DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) leader, responding to a question at a news conference, severely criticised Jayalalithaa for her statement that the kind of "loyalty" to the state exhibited by the political class in Karnataka was "totally absent" in Tamil Nadu.

"Let her mind her words. People who have put in 40, 50, 60 years of public service should not be belittled," Baalu said.

"It is we DMK and our leader M Karunanidhi who was instrumental is seeing that the Tribunal was established, and the Tribunal passed an interim order asking Karnataka to release 205 TMC ft of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu," the minister said.

"Jayalalithaa has an overbearing and autocratic attitude. She does not even care for greater consensus does not even greet the Opposition to have a common approach (on Cauvery) and she has not even bothered to meet farmers," Baalu said.

He alleged that Jayalalithaa failed to take care of interests of farmers of Cauvery delta.

On Jayalalithaa lashing out at all the 10 Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu for not even making a "feeble" attempt to project the plight of Cauvery delta farmers and take up the issue with the Prime Minister, Baalu said she has the habit of coming out with "dramatic outbursts" now-and-then and he was not of that type.

"We want things to be done in a cordial manner. I have lot of faith and confidence in Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna. He is a statesman," Baalu said, adding, it is for the CRA to finalise issue pertaining to distress sharing by TN and Karnataka.

Baalu said while Krishna has maintained a cordial relationship with the Opposition and discussed Cauvery issue with them and farmers to evolve a consensus, Jayalalithaa has not only not cared for farmers of TN but also entire political set up of the state.

He also charged Jayalalithaa with having failed to put forth facts and figures before the Cauvery River Authority, and "miserably failing" to have required decision by CRA.

Asked if the 0.8 TMC ft of water being released to Tamil Nadu by Karnataka daily is "sufficient", he said, "It's not sufficient."

PTI