Bengaluru, June 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) A day after Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated that he was prepared to hold discussions with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay at any time on the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka on Friday accused the Congress of adopting contradictory positions on the project and alleged that the party had sacrificed Karnataka's interests for political considerations.
His statement came on Friday after Chief Minister Shivakumar on Thursday urged both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to keep politics aside while considering the interests of the people of both the states vis a vis the Mekedatu reservoir project.
In a statement issued on Friday, Ashoka said the Congress had once again exposed what he termed its "double standards" by supporting the Mekedatu project in Karnataka while remaining aligned with political forces in Tamil Nadu that oppose the project.
"The Congress has once again shown that whenever it is forced to choose between Karnataka's interests and its political compulsions, Karnataka becomes the casualty," Ashoka alleged.
He pointed out that parties in the ruling alliance in Tamil Nadu have openly opposed the Mekedatu project and claimed that the Tamil Nadu Congress unit has stood with those opposing Karnataka's demand. At the same time, he alleged that Congress leaders in Karnataka have projected themselves as strong supporters of the project.
Targeting CM Shivakumar, Ashoka questioned the purpose of the Congress party's Mekedatu Padayatra, which was undertaken to press for the implementation of the project.
"Was the much-publicised Mekedatu Padayatra a genuine fight for Karnataka's interests or merely a political exercise aimed at securing votes?" he asked.
Ashoka said Shivakumar and other Congress leaders had organised the march claiming to protect Karnataka's water rights, but were now remaining silent when, according to him, their own party leaders and alliance partners were opposing the project.
He further questioned the Congress leadership over its stand on the issue and asked whether Karnataka's interests were being compromised for the sake of maintaining political alliances.
Addressing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Ashoka sought clarity on whether the party would firmly support Karnataka's claim over the Mekedatu project despite opposition from its allies in Tamil Nadu.
"Congress has repeatedly invoked the Mekedatu issue during elections, appealed to the sentiments of farmers and projected itself as the defender of Karnataka's water rights. Today, the party stands exposed with one position in Karnataka and another in Tamil Nadu," he alleged.
Ashoka maintained that the issue was not merely about a development project but also concerned the state's farmers, water security and future development.
He said the people of Karnataka were closely watching the developments and would judge political parties based on their commitment to safeguarding the state's interests.
The Mekedatu project has remained a contentious issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, with Karnataka maintaining that the proposed balancing reservoir is essential for drinking water supply and power generation, while Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the project citing concerns over water sharing in the Cauvery basin.
Source: IANS
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