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I’m Kannadiga first, Mekedatu project is our right: HD Kumaraswamy

In the face of continuing protests in Tamil Nadu, former Karnataka Chief Minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy defended his state’s water reservoir project on Thursday. Kumaraswamy reiterated his stance on the Mekedatu project, saying that he is a Kannadiga first and subsequently an Indian. The JDS leader stated the dam is the state’s prerogative, in response to BJP leader CT Ravi’s remark on the subject.

HD Kumaraswamy dismissed CT Ravi’s demand for leaders to be ‘pro-Indian’ on the subject, saying, ‘I do not want to play politics in the name of water and the emotional issues, but when it comes to the state, I am a Kannadiga first and then an Indian. My state issues are important to me. I do not play politics in the name of nationalism. Let him (CT Ravi) be an Indian first, Mekedatu project is our right and we have to proceed towards building the project.’

When it comes to such controversial issues, BJP national general secretary CT Ravi stated on Thursday that he is for the nation. ‘I am a pro-Indian first, drinking water should not be viewed as an emotional issue, The water must not be used for fire-fighting politics. Instead, the issue will be resolved amicably,’ commented Ravi, triggering controversy in Karnataka.

Also Read: ‘We have to keep our unity & integrity intact’: CDS General Rawat

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday that he will travel to the national capital shortly to meet with Union Ministers to assess the issue. The state is now divided over the subject, with leaders and ministries taking opposing views. The BJP’s Tamil Nadu and Karnataka sections have clashed over the dam’s construction, with TN officials announcing a protest against the project.

The Cauvery river basin will see the construction of the Mekedatu reservoir-cum drinking water project. However, the proposal has sparked a dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which has resulted in a backlash. The state of Tamil Nadu opposes the 9,000 crore Mekedatu reservoir project, claiming that it will affect and regulate the flow of water in the Cauvery River.

Meanwhile, officials in Karnataka believe that the project is critical because it would fulfill the drinking water demands of Bengaluru, the state capital, which is experiencing water shortages.

Major political parties in Tamil Nadu, such as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Congress, are opposed to the dam’s construction, but political groups in Karnataka are speaking with the same aim of supporting the project. CM Bommai has previously stated that despite any protests, construction on the project will begin.

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