Kumaraswamy flays BJP govt for delay in Mekedatu dam project; wants Stalin to cooperate

Former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy questioned the BJP-led state government's commitment towards the protection of its core elements - 'land, water and language' - over the delay in the construction of the Mekedatu reservoir. Launching an attack at the government amid an internal dissent against CM Yeddyurappa, the JD(S) leader noted that it was the duty of the trouble-hit state government to look into the issue and said that it was unfortunate for the saffron party to be busy with its 'internal squabbling' instead. 

Kumaraswamy accuses BJP of neglecting Karnataka

In a series of tweets, HD Kumaraswamy on Friday said that the Karnataka government had allegedly forgotten its 'responsibility' for not immediately responding to Tamil Nadu CM Stalin's appeals to PM Modi to refrain from giving a nod to the Mekedatu reservoir project. Making a tall claim, the JD(S) leader said that while both national parties (BJP and Congress) had failed to formulate the Mekedatu Reservoir Project in Karnataka, his government had done so in the past 'courageously' and said that it was allegedly becoming impossible for the BJP government to implement the project. 

JD(S) neta accuses Centre of showing aggressive behaviour towards southern states

The former Karnataka CM claimed that BJP's promise of a 'heaven' if its governments were in power at both the Centre and state level had failed, citing the uncertainty over the important project. Attempting to give it a political colour, HD Kumaraswamy noted that Tamil Nadu was being ruled by a regional party (DMK) and was strong in terms of regional pride while Karnataka was in the hands of national parties. Further, Kumaraswamy claimed that the BJP-led Centre had failed to protect the interests of the people of Karnataka and claimed that hence it was only possible for regional parties to protect the interests of the people of Karnataka. 

'Stalin should cooperate'

Urging Tamil Nadu CM Stalin to end the friction between the two states over the Cauvery issue, HD Kumaraswamy accused the Centre of behaving in an aggressive manner with the southern states and claimed that both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka should be united over the issue of Cauvery. The JD(S) leader appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to give its approval for the Mekedatu reservoir project, noting that it wasn't against the interests of the state and that the intention of the project was to facilitate drinking water and not for irrigation purposes. Noting that Karnataka had released excess water to Tamil Nadu when it received 'nature's cooperation', the former Karnataka CM urged Tamil Nadu's Stalin to cooperate and noted that Karnataka had not betrayed Tamil Nadu even at the time of drought.

Tamil Nadu CM seeks release of water from river Cauvery

Last Friday, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin had written to Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat urging him to advise the Cauvery Water Management Authority to ensure the state gets its quota as per the Supreme Court order. Noting that the Cauvery delta region was Tamil Nadu's 'rice bowl', CM Stalin had said that the Stanley reservoir in Mettur was the lifeline of the delta and that the state was dependent on it for agricultural production. Further, CM Stalin had pointed out that the floodgates at the Mettur dam were going to open on June 12 for irrigation in the delta region and said that it was being done so with the assumption that the state would receive its quantum of water from River Cauvery as per the SC order.