Cauvery row: Karnataka CM asks TN counterpart Vijay to defer Bengaluru visit
D.K. Shivakumar says talks should be held in a cordial atmosphere amid Cauvery dispute
Karnataka chief minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday said he had requested Tamil Nadu chief minister Joseph Vijay to postpone his proposed visit to Bengaluru, citing heightened tensions over the Cauvery water-sharing dispute and the need to maintain peace between the two states.
Addressing a press conference alongside deputy chief minister G. Parameshwara and Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Shivakumar said he had spoken to Vijay and urged him to defer the 3 August visit, during which the Tamil Nadu chief minister was expected to be accompanied by a delegation of ministers.
Shivakumar said the request was made after consultations with his Cabinet colleagues, adding that the current atmosphere was not conducive for a meeting between the two leaders.
He said there was a possibility of protests or slogan-shouting during the visit, which would be inappropriate for a visiting Chief Minister. According to Shivakumar, the meeting should instead be held once the situation becomes more cordial.
The Karnataka chief minister said the state government would take a final decision on a fresh date for the meeting after an all-party meeting scheduled for Sunday.
Expressing optimism over improving weather conditions, Shivakumar said recent rainfall had increased inflows into reservoirs, which could help create a better environment for discussions on the long-running Cauvery dispute.
He also said he had earlier sought a meeting with former Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin, which did not materialise, and welcomed Vijay's willingness to engage in dialogue.
Reiterating Karnataka's position on the proposed Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir Project, Shivakumar said the project was intended to provide drinking water and generate electricity, arguing that it would also benefit Tamil Nadu and was not designed for irrigation.
He further said Karnataka remained committed to complying with the Supreme Court's Cauvery water-sharing judgment, including the allocation of 177.25 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu, while maintaining that distress-sharing arrangements should take into account prevailing rainfall and water availability.
With IANS inputs