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Stating that water from the Cauvery river is a fundamental right of the state, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday countered the DMK's demand to discuss the issue in Parliament, asserting that Karnataka's MPs will firmly present the facts of the matter before the country.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar dismissed the opposition from the neighbouring state and reiterated that the disputed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project is actually designed to benefit Tamil Nadu rather than Karnataka. "They will demand; no problem, we will also demand. I will also go to Delhi and tell our Members of Parliament to place the facts before everyone. Whatever the Cauvery issue is, it is our right," Shivakumar said. The senior leader pointed out that regulatory mechanisms are already in place to handle the distribution and legalities of the river water sharing. "The Supreme Court has also said that it is left to the Central Water Commission," he added. Defending the state's proposed construction of the balancing reservoir at Mekedatu--which has been a major political flashpoint between the two states- Shivakumar argued that Tamil Nadu's resistance to the project is misplaced. "The Mekedatu project benefits Tamil Nadu, not Karnataka. I will make this very clear," the Minister emphasised. Earlier, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin chaired a virtual high-level meeting with the party's Members of Parliament on Thursday, where it was resolved to aggressively confront the Union government over Tamil Nadu's rights regarding the Cauvery river dispute. During the meeting, the DMK parliamentary delegation adopted a firm resolution demanding the immediate intervention of the Centre to address the ongoing water-sharing friction with neighbouring Karnataka. "The DMK MPs resolved to urge the Union government during the Monsoon Session to constitute a tribunal to resolve the Mekedatu dam dispute and ensure that Karnataka releases Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water without delay, in accordance with Supreme Court directions," the party statement noted. The move sets up a direct political showdown in Parliament, coming on the heels of statements from Karnataka leadership asserting their own structural rights over the river layout. (ANI)
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