New Delhi, Sept. 15 (Agencies): The Supreme Court on Thursday took Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments to task for failing to check violence following its order on the Cauvery water-sharing dispute, asserting that violent agitation would serve no purpose as those aggrieved were free to take legal recourse.

”We are compelled to state that it is the duty of both the states [Tamil Nadu and Karnataka] to see that no violence, agitation or destruction of properties takes place,” a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and U.U. Lalit said.

It was pointed out that a 'Rail Roko' was organised in Karnataka on Thursday and a similar agitation will be held in Tamil Nadu on Friday.

Last Friday, Karnataka was brought to a halt by a bandh, and earlier this week arson rocked both states. Friday’s bandh was to protest against a Supreme Court order calling on Karnataka to release 15,000 cubic feet of water per second to Tamil Nadu. Monday’s arson was sparked by the court’s refusal to stay its decision, although it did reduce the volume of water to be released.

The bench also warned, “when there is court order, there should not be any violent agitations and any party aggrieved has the liberty to take legal recourse for mitigation of their grievances.”

The bench referred to a 2009 Supreme Court judgment that had laid down guidelines to deal with situations of violence and destruction of properties by protestors and agitators.

”We expect both the states to maintain peace, calm, harmony and dignity for law”, the bench said.

The apex court posted the hearing on September 20 on the plea for direction to both states to take preventive measures and assessing the damages to public and private properties during agitation. The court said it would also take up the main matter of Cauvery water dispute.