Dhinakaran and Vasan Criticize Chief Minister Vijay Over Mekedatu Dam Issue

AMMK founder T.T.V. Dhinakaran accused Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Sunday of shedding crocodile tears over the Mekedatu dam issue. Mr. Dhinakaran stated that Mr. Vijay must choose between his party's alliance with the Congress and the livelihoods of farmers in Tamil Nadu. In a public statement, he alleged that Mr. Vijay failed to protect farming livelihoods in order to keep power, which he claimed has encouraged Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to push ahead with the Mekedatu project. Mr. Dhinakaran condemned the remarks made by Mr. Shivakumar regarding the construction of a dam across the Cauvery river. He urged Mr. Vijay to use political pressure on the Congress leadership to stop the project, warning that any failure to act would mean betraying local farmers. Tamil Maanila Congress leader G.K. Vasan also criticized Mr. Shivakumar for his statements about building the Mekedatu dam. Mr. Vasan called unacceptable the demand for support from the Centre and the interpretation of the Supreme Court's verdict given by Karnataka's Chief Minister. He stated that Karnataka's push for the dam is an infringement on Tamil Nadu's rights. According to Mr. Vasan, the water dispute is not just about crops but involves the basic survival of farmers in the State.

Context

The Mekedatu project is a long-standing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over water sharing and dam construction across the Cauvery river. Inter-state water sharing issues in India regularly draw strong political reactions from regional parties concerned about the impact on local agricultural communities.