Leader of the Opposition and AIADMK general secretary, Edappadi K Palaniswami, launched a scathing attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, accusing him of compromising the state’s riparian rights for electoral gains. Palaniswami’s comments came in response to the Kerala government’s decision to construct a check dam across the Silandhi River, a tributary of the Amaravathi River.In a pointed social media post, Palaniswami condemned the Left Democratic Front government’s move, arguing that it would significantly reduce the water flow into the Amaravathi River. He urged Chief Minister Stalin to “wake up from slumber” and take immediate legal action to protect Tamil Nadu’s rights over the inter-state river.
“The incompetent DMK government has allowed neighbouring states to infringe upon our water rights,” Palaniswami stated. He criticized Stalin for allegedly making concessions to neighbouring states, such as Karnataka and Kerala, for electoral advantages and maintaining a “deadly silence” on critical issues concerning the state’s water rights.
Palaniswami pointed out that the Andhra Pradesh government was permitted to construct check dams across the Palar River, and the Karnataka government has been pushing to build a dam across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu. Now, with the Kerala government’s attempt to construct a check dam across the Silandhi River, Palaniswami accused Stalin of failing to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests in inter-state water disputes.
He demanded that the Chief Minister explore all legal avenues to protect the state’s riparian rights. “The DMK government must immediately take appropriate legal measures to prevent the construction of the check dam and ensure that Tamil Nadu’s rightful share of water is not compromised,” he urged.