After Supreme Court relief, Siddaramaiah hails Shivakumar’s role in Mekedatu push

CM slammed the opposition BJP-JD(S) combine for not speaking about the “injustice” to the state and wondered why BJP leader and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi wasn’t speaking about Karnataka with the Union government.

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed on Friday that Tamil Nadu was opposing the Mekedatu project for “political reasons” and not on objective parameters, and congratulated his Deputy D K Shivakumar for the favourable Supreme Court ruling.

“In normal times, we need to provide 177.25 tmcft water to Tamil Nadu each year. Through Mekedatu, 67 tmcft will be stored and 400 MW of power will be generated. If there’s no water, we will give them that water. This will benefit Tamil Nadu more than us. They are just opposing it for political reasons but it’s not based on reality,” Siddaramaiah said after releasing ‘Neerina Hejje - Vivada - Oppanda - Teerpu’ a book written by Shivakumar.

Siddaramaiah said: “When we planned the Mekedatu padayatra, there was a lot of opposition to it. But D K Shivakumar was very particular that it should happen and even I supported it. After the padayatra, Tamil Nadu went to the Supreme Court and their appeal was rejected on Thursday. In this, Shivakumar’s efforts are also there. I congratulate him on behalf of the government.” 

He slammed the opposition BJP-JD(S) combine for not speaking about the “injustice” to the state and wondered why BJP leader and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi wasn’t speaking about Karnataka with the Union government.

Shivakumar recollected that he had first become the irrigation minister in 2019, when the H D Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) government was in power.“During the coalition government, I wanted to remain as energy minister. I, Siddaramaiah, Parameshwara, Rahul Gandhi and Venugopal were there. Rahul asked if I have trust in him. When I said yes, he asked me to take up irrigation. I have researched and written a lot of things.”

Speaking about the Supreme Court ruling, he said: “The strength of this ruling can only be understood by those in the administration. A separate Mekedatu division and office have already been created. Earlier, there was a DPR, but we now have to enhance it.”

Referring to the Upper Krishna Project, Shivakumar said: “They (Union government) had assured us Rs 5,300 crore. Bommai said it will be given but no one has the capacity to ask... They (opposition MPs) simply talk.”

The book, presented by journalist Hamid Palya, looks into interstate and intercountry water disputes.