Chennai: “Will you protect Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery water rights? Or will you support the Karnataka Congress government’s plan to build the Mekedatu dam?” DMK former minister T.R.B. Raja has asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay.
In a statement issued by him on this, he said, “The Cauvery is not just a river for us. It is the lifeline of Tamil Nadu’s farmers. At a time when we are struggling every year just to secure our rights in the Cauvery, the Karnataka Congress government is showing great eagerness to build the Mekedatu dam.
"We do not need to ask for permission to build the Mekedatu dam," boasts Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. This is not a message meant for us, the neighboring state. Buried in this is the contemptuous disregard that says, "We will not even respect the law." It is the audacity born of the fact that Congress is the one propping up the government in Tamil Nadu that makes him speak like this.
As per the Supreme Court’s 2018 modification and affirmation of the Cauvery Tribunal’s award, Tamil Nadu has a legal right to receive 177.25 TMC of water annually at Biligundulu. The truth is that the Supreme Court has not granted Karnataka any unconditional permission to build the Mekedatu dam! Tamil Nadu’s legal rights over Cauvery water are strong.
If Cauvery water is not available at the right time, the livelihood of lakhs of farmers in the Cauvery delta will be thrown into question. The Mekedatu dam is a conspiracy woven by the upper riparian state of Karnataka to keep all the Cauvery water under its control while saying it is “doing good” for the lower riparian state of Tamil Nadu!
Karnataka’s effort to build a dam at Mekedatu has not remained mere talk. By submitting the revised project report to the Prime Minister, appealing to the Union government for swift approval of the project, trying to resolve issues related to forest and land, and securing environmental clearance, Karnataka is moving ahead with a planned strategy, having formalized all legal procedures.
In the Dravidian model government, strict legal measures were used to rein in the Karnataka government. Now that the government has changed, the scene has changed too. What is the Tamil Nadu government doing now? It is cowering without even being able to give a sharp reply to Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar — a dummy government.
The question on the minds of all farmers is why the TVK government is maintaining a guilty silence. In Karnataka, it is the Congress government that is pushing the Mekedatu dam project. In Tamil Nadu, the same Congress is sharing power in the government. On an issue that should be fiercely opposed, the dummy government ruling Tamil Nadu is just watching idly.
Is the Cauvery Karnataka’s family property? Is federalism supposed to mean that those upstream build dams and those downstream beg for water? Is the Vijay government compromising on Tamil Nadu’s water rights for the sake of coalition dharma? Is Vijay acting so softly just so that the Karnataka Congress does not get hurt?
He is such a coward that he cannot even speak on the ground the line Vijay delivered on screen: “Even if life is lost, don’t give up farming.” Does the Chief Minister have the courage to uphold our rights in the Cauvery? How is he going to deal with the Karnataka Congress government, which is eager to snatch away Tamil Nadu’s water rights, and its Chief Minister?
Opposition Leader Udhayanidhi Stalin demanded that a separate tribunal be set up to address this issue. This was also accepted unanimously as an amendment to the legislative resolution. He further insisted that an all-party meeting be convened and that the Chief Minister meet the Delta farmers in person. When is the TVK government going to do this?
CM sir... what matters to you more, the alliance or the Cauvery? Don’t the farmers of Tamil Nadu matter? Are you going to sacrifice the Cauvery to save the alliance? The Congress government in Karnataka is building a dam... is Tamil Nadu’s TVK government supporting that? First make it clear: the Cauvery or Congress?
Just as Karnataka parties have a united stance on Mekedatu, shouldn’t there be one in Tamil Nadu as well in opposing it? But what is happening here? A situation has arisen where Tamil Nadu’s rights are being compromised for the sake of the alliance.
The Congress is playing a double game in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In Tamil Nadu, Congress is part of the alliance. In Karnataka, it is in power. Rahul Gandhi, what is your stand? Will you protect Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery water rights? Or will you support the Karnataka Congress government’s Mekedatu project?
We strongly condemn the actions of Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who continues to try to build the Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery in a way that harms Tamil Nadu.
“We urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take firm action to protect the welfare of Tamil Nadu’s farmers and our lawful Cauvery water rights,” he said.
