Chennai: The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu and its ally the Congress government in Karnataka have repeatedly betrayed Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery water issue, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said on Friday and accused them of staging a covert drama.
Slamming the state government for not opposing neighbouring Karnataka's bid to raise the Mekedatu dam project at the February 1 meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), Palaniswami said"the fact that the DMK and its ally, the Karnataka Congress government, have staged behind-the-scenes drama and repeatedly betrayed Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery water issue is highly condemnable."
The AIADMK would not remain a mute spectator, he warned in a release here and asked the DMK and Congress to stop the covert drama.
Wondering how the Mekedatu dam project was included in the meeting's agenda, the former Chief Minister sought to know why the Tamil Nadu government officials who represented the state at the CWMA meeting, did not protest.
"Cauvery river water is a source of drinking water for the people of 20 districts in Tamil Nadu and lifeline for agriculture in 10 districts in the state. During the AIADMK rule, Mekedatu project was never allowed to be discussed at the CWMA meeting," he said.
But Thursday's meeting saw the Karnataka officials insist upon discussing the Mekedatu project, Palaniswami claimed.
Published 02 February 2024, 19:08 IST