Chennai, July 8 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President B. Manickam Tagore on Wednesday challenged the Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nainar Nagenthran to obtain a public assurance from the Karnataka BJP leadership that it would abandon the proposed Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery river, reaffirming the Congress’ opposition to the controversial project.

Tagore alleged that the BJP-led Union government had failed to resolve the long-standing inter-state river dispute and instead had aggravated tensions between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka by allowing the project to move forward.

Responding to criticism from Nagenthran over the Congress’ stand, the TNCC President acknowledged that governments led by both the Congress and the BJP in Karnataka had supported the Mekedatu project.

However, Tagore said that the BJP could not distance itself from responsibility, adding that former Karnataka Chief Ministers B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai had publicly endorsed the construction of the dam.

He added that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal as well as the Supreme Court had made it clear that no new dam could be constructed across the Cauvery river without the consent of Tamil Nadu.

Despite this, Tagore alleged, the Union government had permitted Karnataka to proceed with the preparation of the project’s detailed report, thereby encouraging a fresh dispute between the two neighbouring states.

The TNCC President also said that unlike the BJP-led Union government, senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge were not in positions to take executive decisions on the issue.

He asserted that the responsibility to address the dispute rested entirely with the Centre.

Reiterating the Congress’ position, Tagore said the TNCC would continue to oppose the Mekedatu dam and was prepared to launch any democratic agitation necessary to prevent its implementation.

He warned that Tamil Nadu’s rights over the Cauvery waters could be adversely affected if the project was allowed to proceed.

Tagore also threw a direct challenge to the Tamil Nadu BJP leadership, asking whether Nainar Nagenthran could persuade the BJP government and party leadership in Karnataka to publicly commit that the Mekedatu project would not be pursued.

The proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir has remained a contentious issue between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for several years, with Tamil Nadu consistently saying that the project could reduce downstream water flows and adversely affect irrigation and drinking water supplies in the state.

–IANS

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