CHENNAI: Naam Tamilar Katchi chief coordinator Seeman on Sunday strongly condemned Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's reported remarks that Tamil Nadu has no right to oppose the proposed Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery river, urged Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to officially react to Karnataka's move.
In a statement, Seeman said DK Shivakumar's remarks were "the height of arrogance" and accused Karnataka of attempting to claim exclusive rights to the Cauvery river's water in violation of established river-water-sharing principles.
Stating that the historical relationship between Tamil Nadu and the Cauvery predates the formation of Karnataka as a state and even the Kannada language itself, Seeman alleged that the Mekedatu project was part of a "deceptive attempt" to deny Tamil Nadu its rightful share of river water.
Questioning Karnataka's stand, Seeman asked, "If Tamils do not question this, who else will ? Who has greater rights over the Cauvery than the people of Tamil Nadu?"
He further pointed out that, according to international river water-sharing norms, people living in the tail-end regions of a river have greater rights to water use than those living in the upper regions. On that basis, he claimed Tamil Nadu holds stronger rights over the Cauvery than Karnataka.
Condemning Shivakumar's remarks as an expression of "political arrogance," Seeman urged Chief Minister Vijay to strongly oppose the Karnataka government's efforts to construct the Mekedatu dam and to officially register Tamil Nadu's protest against the project.