Cauvery row: Ready to bear even insults for people of Tamil Nadu, CM Vijay tells Assembly

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Vijay on Friday (August 7) during the Assembly said he is prepared to face even "personal insults" if it helps to protect Tamil Nadu's interests in the Cauvery dispute, while asserting that his government had no intention of playing politics over the issue.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, he also reiterated that the State would never give up its rights in the matter of the proposed Mekadatu dam.

The remarks came during the ongoing Assembly session debate on the State Budget, after Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin accused the government of failing to convene an all-party meeting on the Cauvery issue while Karnataka was moving ahead with the Mekadatu dam issue.

What did CM Vijay say on the Cauvery and Mekadatu issues?

Responding to the criticism, Vijay described the Cauvery as Tamil Nadu's lifeline and said the government had no intention of politicising the issue.

"We will never give up Tamil Nadu's rights in the matter of the Mekadatu dam," he said, adding that he was the one who had sought talks on the Cauvery issue.

The Chief Minister said the resolution passed by the Assembly had been sent to the Prime Minister and recalled that all members had unanimously backed the resolution on the Mekadatu issue.

Why did Vijay propose talks with Karnataka?

Vijay said he had written to the Union Water Resources Minister, citing the Supreme Court's verdict on the Cauvery issue, and noted that discussions on Karnataka's dam projects had taken place in the Assembly as early as 1969.

He said he had decided to travel to Bengaluru with the sole intention of resolving the Cauvery dispute through dialogue with the Karnataka Chief Minister.

"Even enemy countries hold talks to resolve issues. I thought we could speak to our neighbouring State. They asked what would happen if I was insulted in Bengaluru. I am ready to bear even that for the people of Tamil Nadu," Vijay added.