Bengaluru:  – Noted actor and Tamil Makkal Needhi Mayym President Kamal Haasan yesterday met Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy seeking timely release of Cauvery water for the Kuruvai crop in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking at a joint press conference after meeting Kumaraswamy, Haasan said mutual agreement was the best way forward to solve the century-old Cauvery river water sharing issue and it was also his priority.  Courts should be the last resort he said.

Kumaraswamy said Kamal had appealed him to release Cauvery waters urgently and said for him also the welfare of farmers of both the States was important in a federal setup. There was a need to take decisions in a cordial manner.

Stating that he is from a lawyers’ family, Haasan said that their advice is to take farmers of both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka into confidence for protecting each other’s interests.  “There will be no room for conflict here if we do this. Court or Tribunal will do their job and I have come here to appeal in the interest of protecting the standing crop and to safeguard the interests of farmers,” he said.

Replying to a question about demand for not releasing Rajinikanth starrer ‘Kaala’ in Karnataka due to his statements on Cauvery issue, Kamal Haasan said that is a different issue and the Film Chamber will deal with it and this meeting has nothing to do with it.