Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has defended the Mekedatu Dam project, declaring that the scheme is the state's right and rejecting objections raised by the Tamil Nadu Congress. Shivakumar said the project lay within Karnataka's entitlement and dismissed the political backlash coming from across the border.
The objection came from Manickam Tagore, president of the Tamil Nadu Congress, who opposed the project. Shivakumar responded sharply, stating that the matter concerned his own state and its rights, and that the criticism from Tamil Nadu did not alter Karnataka's position. His remarks put the dispute over the proposed reservoir back in the political spotlight between the two neighbouring states.
Shivakumar did not limit his response to rejection. He invited officials from Tamil Nadu to sit down for discussions on the dam, and said the talks should focus on the project's benefits rather than on confrontation. The offer signals an effort to move the disagreement from public statements to a negotiating table, although the notes available do not indicate when or where such talks might take place.
On the legal front, Karnataka has said it will abide by the Supreme Court's water-sharing ruling. The position places the state's commitment to the apex court's framework alongside its assertion that the Mekedatu project is within its rights. The notes do not detail the specific terms of the ruling or how the project would be assessed against it.
The Mekedatu issue has long been a sensitive question between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, two states that share the Cauvery river basin and have frequently disputed water allocation. The current exchange shows that the question remains politically charged, with leaders in each state treating the project as a matter of state interest. Whether the invitation to dialogue leads to any shift in either position will be watched closely in both states.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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