Mekedatu pits Congress against Congress: TNCC chief Manickam Tagore pushes back at Shivakumars no one can stop remark

The sharp exchange has brought the long-standing Cauvery water dispute back into the political spotlight, drawing reactions from the DMK, AIADMK, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and leaders of both Congress units, with the issue increasingly turning into a political confrontation between the two neighbouring states.

The Mekedatu project is a proposed balancing reservoir on the Cauvery River in Karnataka, primarily intended to meet Bengalurus drinking water requirements and generate hydroelectric power. Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed it, fearing it could affect Cauvery water availability for downstream areas, particularly the delta districts.

The controversy began after Shivakumar, while addressing an event in Mysuru in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, sought the Centre's assistance in securing the necessary clearances for the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project. Making a strong case for the project, he maintained that Karnataka had the right to construct the dam and that its implementation would also ensure Tamil Nadu received its stipulated share of Cauvery water.

"The Supreme Court has delivered a clear verdict to all of us: that Mekedatu has to be built in Karnataka and no one can stop it. We want you to help us legally. We want you. You have the Union government to grant a final decision on which the forest clearances have been done. It is a vital balancing reserve. So I hope that your administration will help us. Let us all work together," Shivakumar told the Prime Minister.

He also argued that the project would benefit several regions dependent on the Cauvery, including Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Keralam and Bengaluru.

"(This project) helps Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Keralam, Bengaluru. We want you to help us with this balancing reservoir for drinking water, which will also help Tamil Nadu. I want you to help us," he said.

Shivakumar subsequently reiterated his position, saying Karnataka would protect its right to build the dam while ensuring that Tamil Nadu received 177 TMC of water as mandated by law.

Speaking about his meeting with the Prime Minister, he said the state had sought forest and environmental clearances and was prepared to bring an all-party delegation to press its case.

"Mekedatu issue - Supreme Court has given order. Now what we need is just one thing - all parties have agreed, let's go together. For that, I am sending everything - forest clearance, environment clearance. I have asked for one forest clearance and one environment clearance," he said.

Taking a firm stand, he added, "It is my state, my right. And they (Tamil Nadu) should also know; Tamil Nadu also should know. Let them come with the delegation; I will show them, I will explain to them how it helps them."

Dismissing the criticism as political posturing, Shivakumar said opposition to the project was driven by electoral considerations in Tamil Nadu, where the Congress, DMK and AIADMK have their respective political interests.

"I don't mind; it is politics there - if Congress doesn't condemn, DMK will condemn, if DMK doesn't condemn, AIADMK will condemn; then everyone may condemn, but why couldn't they do it? It is the law of this country; everyone has to accept the law of this country. The Supreme Court has very clearly said that they have the right to 177 TMC of water; it is our duty; we will protect the right; it is our right to build the dam and give them water," he said.

He also invited Tamil Nadu leaders to visit Karnataka and understand the project's benefits, asserting that the state would not compromise on its interests.

"The Mekedatu project is Karnataka's right, and it is our duty to implement it in accordance with the Supreme Court's directive. Instead of opposing the move, Tamil Nadu should send a delegation so I can explain the benefits they stand to gain from it. We will not back down at any stage when it comes to safeguarding the interests of our state," Shivakumar said.

He further maintained that Karnataka was responsible for protecting Tamil Nadu's water allocation alongside its own requirements.

"We bear the responsibility of protecting the water share due to Tamil Nadu, just as we must protect Karnataka's rightful share," he said, adding that he was ready to present the facts of the project to a Tamil Nadu delegation.

However, Shivakumar's assertions invited a strong response from his party colleague Manickam Tagore, who termed the remarks "deeply condemnable" and accused the Karnataka Chief Minister of misrepresenting the legal position on the project.

In a post on X, Tagore said Shivakumar's statement in the presence of the Prime Minister went against the Supreme Court's directions and the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.

"It is deeply condemnable that Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mysuru, said, 'No one can stop the construction of a dam at Mekedatu', and that the central government must give its final approval for it," Tagore said.

He further accused Shivakumar of adopting a stubborn position that could threaten the livelihoods of farmers in Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta districts.

"The Karnataka Chief Minister continues to adopt a stubborn stance, blatantly violating the Supreme Court ruling and the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award. This statement, which goes against the principle of federalism and seeks to destroy the livelihoods of Tamil Nadu's farmers, is utterly unacceptable," he said.

Tagore urged the Centre not to grant permission for the project without the consent of lower-riparian states, particularly Tamil Nadu, arguing that Karnataka could not unilaterally undertake a project affecting the state's water rights.

He also referred to the water allocation under the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and the Supreme Court judgment, stating that Tamil Nadu was legally entitled to receive 177.25 TMC of water. He cited allocations of 60 TMC from the Kabini dam, 52 TMC from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam and 80 TMC generated through rainfall in the uncontrolled catchment areas of Karnataka along the 200-kilometre stretch between the KRS dam and the Biligundulu water gauging station.

Questioning the Centre's impartiality, Tagore alleged that the Union government had earlier cleared the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mekedatu project without obtaining Tamil Nadu's consent.

"The Central Government had already granted approval for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mekedatu dam without obtaining Tamil Nadu's consent. This was an outright act of discrimination against Tamil Nadu. Through such actions, the BJP government has been acting against the interests of the State," he said.

Speaking to reporters in Thanjavur, Tagore intensified his attack, saying Shivakumar's remarks were painful despite the desire among people of both states to maintain cordial relations.

"Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar's statement is very painful. The people of Tamil Nadu want to have cordial relations with Karnataka. But Karnataka politicians are doing politics over Cauvery. We want Cauvery water based on the Supreme Court's order. The water has not been released as per the Cauvery Tribunal order. Supreme Court's ruling has not been followed. This is a very serious thing. Cauvery issue, particularly Mekedatu dam, without the consent of Tamil Nadu can't be built. We demand that the PM should not betray Tamil Nadu. If Modi betrays Tamil Nadu's interests, he will never be forgiven in Tamil Nadu," he said.

Tagore also questioned Prime Minister Modi's silence when Shivakumar raised the inter-state water dispute on the stage, arguing that the Prime Minister should have intervened.

"He should not have made such a statement in the presence of the Prime Minister of the country. The Prime Minister should have responded to Shivakumar's remarks. His failure to respond is condemnable and raises serious concerns. The Prime Minister is the Prime Minister of the entire country and must not betray Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery issue," Tagore said.

He called upon political parties in Tamil Nadu to put aside their differences and unite to protect the state's water rights, stressing that the responsibility to prevent the construction of the dam rested with the Centre.

"Only the Prime Minister has the authority to prevent Karnataka from obstructing the flow of Cauvery water. Therefore, he must not grant permission for the construction of the dam. I also condemn the Karnataka Chief Minister's stand on this issue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have reprimanded Shivakumar on the stage yesterday itself. The Prime Minister's silence is causing concern and fear," he said.

Tagore also urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to remain vigilant and pursue all possible legal measures against the project. He called for an all-party meeting and suggested that representatives of political parties and Members of Parliament jointly meet the Prime Minister to submit the resolutions passed by the state Assembly against the project.

In a further response to questions about the controversy, Tagore said he was not concerned about Shivakumar's condemnation of his remarks and maintained that the focus should be on Tamil Nadu's unity.

"I don't care about anyone's condemnation," he said while addressing a press conference, adding that Karnataka leaders, irrespective of their political affiliations, had consistently taken positions that Tamil Nadu believed were against the release of Cauvery water.

"Deve Gowda, Yediyurappa, Kumaraswamy, DK Shivakumar are all one. As far as they are concerned, they just want to stop water from being released into the Cauvery. They want to block and store the water," he added.

Reiterating that the Prime Minister should have responded to Shivakumar's remarks, Tagore said, "A dam should not be allowed to be built at Mekedatu. One, since Tamil Nadu is a lower riparian state, it cannot be built without Tamil Nadu's permission. Secondly, the Prime Minister should have responded yesterday."

He further said that the Centre must act fairly and not allow the project to proceed, describing its potential impact on Tamil Nadu's agriculture in strong terms.

"Building Mekedatu is like messing with Tamil Nadu, especially with the Cauvery. It's like blowing a conch shell right into the heart of Tamil Nadu's agriculture, completely ruining it. If anyone can stop this, it's the Prime Minister of India, Mr Modi. As the Prime Minister, he shouldn't betray us on this issue," he said.

Meanwhile, DMK chief and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin stepped into the controversy, urging Chief Minister Vijay to convene an all-party meeting to formulate a united response to Karnataka's position.

In a letter to Vijay, Stalin said the Cauvery issue was a matter of "life and death" for Tamil Nadu and that the state government could no longer remain silent over Shivakumar's remarks.

"The Karnataka Chief Minister has said in the presence of the Prime Minister that no one can stop the construction of the Mekedatu dam. My letter to the Honourable @CMOTamilnadu urging the Tamil Nadu government to take the necessary action on the Cauvery issue, which is a matter of life and death for Tamil Nadu, rather than remaining silent any longer," Stalin said in a post on X.

Stalin said the livelihoods of delta farmers were closely linked to the Cauvery and that Tamil Nadu's political parties needed to demonstrate the same unity that Karnataka's parties had shown on the issue.

"When all parties in Karnataka are speaking in one voice on the Cauvery issue, I had emphasised that it is imperative for Tamil Nadu's parties also to demonstrate our unity to protect our farmers, and demanded that an all-party meeting be convened immediately to discuss our next steps," he wrote.

He also proposed that leaders of legislative parties and all-party MPs meet the Prime Minister together and submit the resolutions adopted at the meeting, along with the unanimous resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly against the Mekedatu project in June.

"Regarding Cauvery rights, it is essential that we stand united, transcending personal likes and dislikes as well as party differences," Stalin said.

Questioning reports that Vijay had planned to visit Karnataka for discussions on the Cauvery issue, Stalin reiterated that Tamil Nadu's position had consistently been to secure its water rights through legal means rather than negotiations with Karnataka.

He also referred to Shivakumar's subsequent statement that it was the Tamil Nadu government which had sought talks and that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister need not visit Karnataka under the present circumstances.

DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai also attacked Shivakumar, accusing Karnataka's political leadership of using the Cauvery dispute as an electoral issue.

Speaking to ANI, Annadurai said, "The Cauvery issue has flared up only because of the dirty politics that is playing out in Karnataka. They are not able to satisfy the voters, so they use this issue as an emotional bogey to canvass for votes. That is why this has flared up unnecessarily."

He rejected Shivakumar's assertion that the Supreme Court had given a green signal to the project, maintaining that the lower-riparian state had equal rights and that its consent was necessary for any project affecting its interests.

"This is the audacity of the Karnataka leadership to claim that the Supreme Court has given a green signal. The Supreme Court has made it very clear that the lower riparian state has equal rights. You cannot build anything that will affect the lower riparian state without the explicit consent of the lower riparian state. This is the law; this is what the Supreme Court has said, and Mr DK Shivakumar is doing this for political considerations," he said.

Annadurai also criticised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay over reports of his proposed visit to Bengaluru, calling it a "tactical blunder" to announce such a move without consulting other political parties.

"Our leader Mr. M.K. Stalin, has clearly pointed out that saying you would go to Bengaluru without consulting anybody, and it was an insult. When you say you are going to Karnataka, you are not going as an individual; you are going there as a representative of the entire state. It has let us down. These kinds of tactical blunders should not have been committed," he said.

Congress MP S Jothimani also joined the criticism of Shivakumar, asserting that Tamil Nadu would not surrender its rights over the Cauvery and urging Karnataka to respect the established legal framework governing water sharing.

"We will not give up our right. The Karnataka leadership should understand that we, the people of Tamil Nadu, will not give up our rights over Cauvery because it is our life and livelihood," Jothimani told ANI.

Pointing out that the Cauvery water-sharing arrangement involved Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Puducherry, she said the states were required to follow the existing judicial framework.

"We, the people of Tamil Nadu, have the right over Cauvery, the same as Karnataka. Water has to be shared between the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Puducherry. There are clear guidelines and a clear judicial setup in place. Therefore, the Government of Karnataka has to respect it," she said.

Jothimani also questioned Karnataka's adherence to previous judicial orders and said Tamil Nadu would continue to pursue the legal route.

The controversy also triggered a political counterattack from the BJP and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, with both parties accusing Congress of playing politics over the Cauvery dispute.

Tamil Nadu BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy alleged that Congress was orchestrating a political drama by allowing Shivakumar and Tagore to take seemingly opposing positions while both Congress units remained part of governments in the two states.

"Congress is playing a big drama as far as the Mekedatu issue is concerned. Both Manickam Thakur and DK Shivakumar, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, and Rahul Gandhi are all playing politics with Tamil Nadu. It is a conspiracy of Congress, All India Congress, Karnataka Congress and Tamil Nadu Congress," he said.

Accusing Shivakumar of using the issue to divert attention from internal problems in the Karnataka Congress government, Thirupathy alleged that Tagore was playing second fiddle to the Karnataka leader.

"And Mr Manickam Tagore in Tamil Nadu is playing second fiddle to Karnataka, that is Shivakumar. And Congress, they are also in the government in Tamil Nadu trying to play a hide-and-seek game. It's a big conspiracy by Congress creating enmity between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu," he said.

He demanded that Vijay condemn the Congress and said the party should be removed from the Tamil Nadu government, adding that no dam could be built without the consent of the Tamil Nadu government.

AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan also launched a sharp attack on Shivakumar, sarcastically urging the Union government to recommend him for the Nobel Prize for lying and accusing him of misrepresenting the Supreme Court's judgment.

"We urge the Union Government to recommend DK Shivakumar to the Nobel Prize for lying. That's the first thing. He can be crowned as the biggest liar under the earth. And misquoting the judgement of the Supreme Court and taking the name of the Supreme Court to suit his political narrative is highly condemnable," Sathyan said.

He further accused the Karnataka Chief Minister of deliberately provoking tensions between the two states for political benefit and threatened legal action over his remarks.

"His intention seems to be that there should be a bloodbath between two states so that he can be a political scavenger doing his political narrative on top of it," he said.

Sathyan also questioned Tagore's timing in condemning Shivakumar, alleging that Congress had remained silent when the two parties were previously allied with the DMK.

"Manickam Tagore, Congress has got selective amnesia and selective enlightenment. The same remark D K Shivakumar made when Congress were in alliance with DMK. Congress were not to be seen anywhere in Tamil Nadu condemning D K Shivakumar at that point of time," he said.

He alleged that Tagore was now speaking out to protect the TVK government from criticism and challenged the Congress leader to make the party's support conditional on the protection of Tamil Nadu's Cauvery rights.

"If they are indeed interested in safeguarding the rights of Tamil Nadu, Manickam Tagore should have given an ultimatum to Vijay, stating that if you don't protect the rights of Tamil Nadu, we'll walk away from the alliance. I challenge him to say so," Sathyan said.

The reactions also exposed differences within the Karnataka Congress over how to respond to the growing dispute.

Karnataka Congress spokesperson Ramesh Babu backed Shivakumar's position, saying the party's state unit would not compromise on Karnataka's interests.

"Our state, our language, our soil is important to KPCC in Karnataka. So, as Karnataka is making statements in the interest of Tamil Nadu, but we know how to get justice for Karnataka. What the Chief Minister he said, it is correct and we are always in the interest for the interest of Karnataka," he said.

He maintained that Karnataka had always complied with judicial directions and expressed confidence that the state would get justice on the Mekedatu project.

"Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee as well as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, there is no question of compromise when the issue of Karnataka comes, and the issue comes of language and in the interest of water. There is no question of compromise. We are going to fight for Karnataka," Ramesh Babu said.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president B K Hariprasad, however, indicated that the issue would be discussed internally before the party took a position, while acknowledging the rights of both states.

"Well, it's an issue that we will discuss internally; then I will come out. Tamil Nadu has got its own right; we also have our own right," he said.

He added that both state governments were responsible for protecting their respective interests and expressed hope that a resolution would eventually emerge through the courts or negotiations.

"Well, you see, as a Chief Minister, he has to protect the interests of the state. As a Tamil Nadu, they have to protect their interests. There is nothing wrong in our demand. Finally, some decision will come either through the court or through some negotiating forces; we will get justice," Hariprasad said.

Janata Dal (Secular) spokesperson Venkanagouda Govindgoudar said, "Congress is a partner in the running government of the TVK government in Tamil Nadu, and Congress is ruling Karnataka. So what should be the problem, and who is opposing it? Issuing such unwanted and silly statements, they want to mislead the public on this issue."

He urged the leaders to stop trading allegations and instead focus on implementing the project.

"So instead of doing work, they are involved in issuing statements. So they should stop all these nonsense things and start building the dam and work for whatever Mekedatu should happen," he added.

While the Karnataka unit has rallied behind its Chief Minister, the Tamil Nadu Congress has demanded central intervention to protect the state's interests, even as the DMK, BJP, AIADMK and JD(S) have used the escalating exchange to sharpen their own political positions.

The central question remains whether the two states can resolve the contentious issue within the existing legal framework without allowing the dispute to further strain their political and regional relations. (ANI)