Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President B. Manickam Tagore has challenged Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party President Nainar Nagenthran to secure a public assurance from Karnataka BJP leadership to abandon the proposed Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery river. Tagore criticized the BJP-led Union government for escalating tensions between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka by allowing the controversial project to progress.
In response to criticism from Nagenthran regarding Congress’ stance, Tagore acknowledged that both Congress and BJP governments in Karnataka had backed the Mekedatu project. However, he emphasized that the BJP could not evade accountability, citing public endorsements from former Karnataka Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai for the dam’s construction.
Tagore highlighted that according to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court, constructing a new dam across the Cauvery river without Tamil Nadu’s consent is impermissible. Despite this, he accused the Union government of enabling Karnataka to advance the project’s detailed report, fueling a fresh dispute between the neighboring states.
