Vijay vs Priyank Kharge Over Mekedatu Dam: Vijay, Priyank Kharge Clash Over Cauvery Row

[00:01:00]Harish and Poonam both now join us getting us more inputs. Harish, what is going to be the Congress's recourse from here on because the first meeting that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay had with the Prime Minister, this was one of the issues that came up. Now there is a resolution that has been passed in the Tamil Nadu assembly. So they are clearly not going to give this up. It seems to be priority for the Tamil Nadu government. So Karnataka will also have to move swiftly if they have to fight this.

[00:01:25]>> Absolutely. And all that we are seeing in both states Poonam is largely grandstanding for political gains. But this will play out one in front of the courts and more importantly in front of the bodies that have been set up for managing Kaveri water. Whether it's the Kaveri river water management authority or the other bodies that look at the dam management. And so that's where it's crucial to ensure that Karnataka gets clearances for the DPR that they will that they will present and for the works to go on. Remember, this is happening in a region where DK Shivakumar is strong.

[00:02:01]It's in his backyard, very close to Kanakapura. And just before the 2023 assembly election, he took out a long padayatra and he said Mekedatu is important for parts of South Karnataka.

[00:02:16]>> And that has been the Congress's stance in Karnataka, but in Tamil Nadu, the Congress believes that this is a project that is required for other state or is something that will ensure that the farmers of Tamil Nadu will bear the brunt just because Karnataka farmers will get the benefit of this. But how different Poornima is going to be the TVK's approach to this? I mean, this is not a new issue. It has been going on even when the DMK was in power. Again, the Congress was in coalition back then as well. And there have been legal troubles, there have been legal hurdles that they have passed. How is it that the TVK government is going to do this differently this time around to change the outcome?

[00:02:55]>> Well, Poornima, as you rightly said, the situation is the same year after year and it's been going on for decades. So, this time as well, the TVK, just like how the previous DMK government had done, the TVK government today passed a resolution on Mekedatu. In fact, they urged center to not give the nod for the construction of the Mekedatu dam.

[00:03:18]DMK, while responding to the resolution, said that the TVK should call for an all-party delegation representation to personally meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and submit the letter requesting the center to stop the construction of the Mekedatu dam. So, that's the that's the idea proposed by the DMK. The TVK government has now taken cognizance of that. What next? Of course, sources say that they are also exploring all the legal routes possible to fight the case.

[00:03:50]But how they plan to go about it, we will know in the coming days. Certainly, this is one of the priorities of the Tamil Nadu government because every election, every party promises that they will ensure that the dam that they will try and stop the construction of the Mekedatu dam. Now that now that Karnataka is keen, we'll have to wait and see whether they will also whether they will also take the legal route or whether they will do this differently. All eyes on that in the coming days, Punam.

[00:04:19]>> And which is exactly why the uh AIADMK seems to believe or the DMK seems to believe that only passing a resolution is not going to be enough in the assembly. Uh stronger steps need to be taken. We'll have to wait and watch as to what exactly transpires on that front. But, as far as Karnataka is concerned, uh we heard Priyank Kharge just now, but the Chief Minister of the state, Mr. D.K. Shivakumar, had also accused the Tamil Nadu government of politicizing the issue. Karnataka government, the Chief Minister has been insisting that Mekedatu is vital for Karnataka. The war of words between those two southern neighbors is only heating up. Uh listen in to what the Chief Minister of the state said yesterday.

[00:04:52]>> Also, you get mad at them.

[00:04:54]There is no medicine for jealousy. It's the matter on your head. It is not close to my heart.

[00:05:01]Mekedatu is not close to my heart. It is the heart of entire South India.

[00:05:06]Mekedatu is a project which help Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka.

[00:05:11]Because we are committed to leave 177.

[00:05:14]Whatever the DMC has been ordered by the Supreme Court and whatever is there, that we are committed to leave.

[00:05:22]So, we have to protect Tamil Nadu farmers.

[00:05:25]So, in order to It is a balancing reserve.

[00:05:28]Not even a single TMC of water bucket of water can be used for irrigation except Bangalore city drinking water. They have a entire Tamil Nadu as a political agenda. Last 40-50 years, they have political I don't want to intervene with this political game.