Won’t yield on Cauvery rights, Mekedatu; open to talks: Vijay
Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday said he was prepared to face insults and even bear humiliation if necessary while travelling to neighbouring Karnataka to meet his counterpart DK Shivakumar over the Mekedatu dam issue
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay, affirmed on Friday his readiness to face any form of insult or humiliation while traveling to Karnataka to engage in discussions with his counterpart DK Shivakumar regarding the Mekedatu dam controversy. Addressing the Cauvery water dispute in the Assembly for the first time, Vijay stated that his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, has no intention of politicizing the issue.
Stressing that Cauvery is vital for Tamil Nadu, he emphasized its emotional significance for the state. Earlier in June, the Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passed a resolution and forwarded it directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Following a lack of comprehensive information from the Union Jal Shakti Minister, Vijay's government sent a letter to the Prime Minister the following day, based on the Cauvery Tribunal and Supreme Court's verdicts. This letter stressed that no authorization should be granted for the Mekedatu dam's construction.
Vijay reiterated his government's unwavering stance against compromising on Tamil Nadu's rights, both concerning Cauvery water sharing and the halt of Mekedatu dam construction. He recalled a similar debate in the Assembly in 1969, questioning the water resources minister at that time, though he avoided engaging in "cheap politics" by questioning why the government then permitted dam construction.
Vijay's proposed visit to Bengaluru aimed to assess the possibility of dialogue in resolving the dispute. Acknowledging the potential for an insult during the visit, he expressed readiness to endure it for the welfare of Tamil Nadu's people. He also acknowledged relief measures for Kuruvai cultivation, addressing concerns raised by opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin.
Udhayanidhi had demanded that the TVK government address the distress faced by Tamil Nadu farmers, citing the partial farm loan waiver despite a promise of a full waiver, compensation for Kuruvai crop losses, and the declaration of Delta districts as drought-affected.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written; read the original for the full account.
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