Chennai, July 29:
Barring the BJP, parties in Tamil Nadu, cutting across party lines, have joined the chorus in condemning the Union Government’s somersault regarding the contentious Mekedatu dam proposed by Karnataka and demanded the withdrawal of the Union MoS for Jal Shakti’s statement made in Parliament, holding that the lower riparian State of Tamil Nadu’s nod was not required for constructing the balancing reservoir across the inter-state river Cauvery.
While Chief Minister Vijay had dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Modi, demanding his immediate intervention and withdrawal of the statement by Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary, opposition parties—from the DMK and AIADMK to the PMK and the Left Parties—charged the Union Government with making a U-turn on the issue.
Congress, the new found ally of the ruling TVK and CPI, extending outside support to the government, too echoed similar views terming the MoS remarks unacceptable and demanded its withdrawal.
Cauvery is an emotive issue in Karnataka and equally in Tamil Nadu, with the latter’s delta region dependent on it. The Minister’s response to a query by PMK leader Anbumani has raised the hackles of political parties in the state. It is seen as blatant partisanship by the Modi government.
Ridiculing the Union Government’s change in stance, K Annamalai, who quit the BJP and floated his outfit, We The Leaders, questioned whether the saffron party was driving this for gains in the upcoming Karnataka assembly elections. “The statement (made yesterday) only exposes that the rights of the farmers of Tamil Nadu have been discarded from consideration by the BJP-led Central Government for electoral gains in Karnataka,” he said in a social media post, and pointed out that the present stand is contradictory to the one made in Parliament in 2021.
“On 5th August 2021, former Union Minister for Jal Shakti Thiru Gajendra Singh Shekawat avl on the floor of Parliament, said … according to the Inter-State River Water Dispute Act, it is mandatory to obtain permission from all lower riparian States (in this case Tamil Nadu) for the construction of a dam which passes,” he said and asked, “Why is the Central Government now suddenly making a U-turn on the position it had already taken?”
Taking exception to the Union Minister of State’s stand, Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin (DMK) said, “That Tamil Nadu’s concurrence is not required for Karnataka to proceed with the Mekedatu project calls Tamil Nadu’s legitimate right into question. Any delay in this matter would be detrimental to the livelihood of the delta farmers.” In a post on his ‘X’ handle, he also called upon Vijay to take expeditious steps to prevent Karnataka from pursuing the project.
AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), asserting that the party would not remain a mute spectator to any conspiracy to deprive Tamil Nadu, in a statement said, “The Supreme Court in its 2018 judgment made it clear that the upper riparian state should not carry out any activity in the Cauvery river which would affect the determined water flow downstream.” He further pointed out that since the Cauvery is the only perennial river flowing in Tamil Nadu, the Union Minister’s statement had created grave apprehension in the minds of the people of the state.
TNCC President and Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore termed the MoS remarks as “extremely dangerous; itis utterly unaceeptable”. We have been consistentlu stating that the Narendra Modi government always act against Tamil Nadu and our farmers. Through this response from the Minister, the BKJP’s anti-Tamil Nadu, anti-people stance has once again come to light”, he wrote on X.
The Congress party will firmly raise its voice in Parliament as well as in the people’s forum against this decision to protect the livelihood rightsof the Tamil Nadu and the weflfare of our farmers, he added.
The Left parties, supporting the Vijay Government, have also demanded that the Union Government take back its stand and urged Vijay to hold an all-party meeting to decide on the future course of action and abandon the talks with Karnataka. In this, they are on the same page with the DMK and PMK.