Bangalore: A meeting of all party MPs convened by Karnataka Chief Minister, S M Krishna on the Cauvery water crisis on September 24 unanimously endorsed the steps taken by the state government so far in protecting the interest of farmers.

Former Karnataka Chief Minister, S Bangarappa, briefing the press on the deliberations of the meeting, said the MPs decided to support the agitation by farmers of Mandya and Mysore districts, but appealed them to continue it on peaceful lines.

He said the meeting also endorsed the government decision of not releasing water to Tamil Nadu, as the farmers of the state were themselves in distress following failure of rain and in view of the acute drought conditions.

The meeting felt that if the government released water now, it would enrage the farmers.

Bangarappa said, the meeting denounced the actions of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in staging a walkout from the Cauvery River Authority meeting and boycott of the monitoring committee meetings.

He said it was advisable and prudent not to create controversies on an issue, which has to be resolved by negotiations in a federal system.

"One should apply self restraint on emotional issues like sharing of inter-state river water," he said.

The meeting was attended by Union Minister V Srinivas Prasad of Samata Party, liquor baron and Rajya Sabha member Vijay Mallya, former Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha member, S R Bommai and others.

PTI