Chennai: Tamil Nadu Congress chief Manickam Tagore Saturday strongly condemned Karnataka’s Congress Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar’s remarks on the Mekedatu dam, made in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mysuru, and demanded that the Centre withhold all approvals for the project unless it has Tamil Nadu’s consent.
Shivakumar, speaking at the inauguration of the Centre for Space and Modern Optical Sciences in Mysuru, said, “The Supreme Court has delivered a clear verdict to all of us that Mekedatu has to be built in Karnataka, and no one can stop it.”
While seeking the Centre’s help for statutory clearances for the proposed reservoir meant to supply drinking water to Bengaluru, he further said, “Let us all work together. The Cauvery, which flows through this river basin, helps Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Bengaluru and different regions. So, we want you to help us. This is a balancing reservoir for drinking water, which will help Tamil Nadu as well.”
Manickam Tagore objected to Shivakumar’s assertion that “no one can stop the construction of a dam at Mekedatu” and stated that his appeal for the Centre’s final approval was “deeply condemnable”. He accused the Karnataka CM of adopting a stubborn stance that blatantly violates the Supreme Court ruling and the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
“This statement, which goes against the principle of federalism and seeks to destroy the livelihoods of Tamil Nadu’s farmers, is utterly unacceptable. Since Tamil Nadu is a lower-riparian state in the Cauvery river water sharing arrangement, Karnataka cannot unilaterally implement any project that affects our rights. The central government must not grant any permission to build the Mekedatu dam without the full consent of the lower-riparian states,” Tagore said in a detailed post on X.
மைசூருவில் பிரதமர் நரேந்திர மோடி முன்னிலையில் கர்நாடக முதலமைச்சர் டி.கே. சிவக்குமார் அவர்கள், "மேகதாதுவில் அணை கட்டுவதை யாராலும் தடுக்க முடியாது" என்றும், மத்திய அரசு இதற்கு இறுதி ஒப்புதல் வழங்க வேண்டும் என்றும் பேசியிருப்பது வன்மையாகக் கண்டிக்கத்தக்கது.
உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்… pic.twitter.com/Ig2Sv6faNn
— Manickam Tagore .B🇮🇳மாணிக்கம் தாகூர்.ப (@manickamtagore) November 14, 2026
Karnataka maintains it is a balancing reservoir that would also benefit Tamil Nadu by regulating flows, while Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed it, arguing it would give the upper-riparian state greater control over water releases critical for delta farmers.
Manickam Tagore reiterated that approving the Mekedatu project without Tamil Nadu’s consent would not only be illegal but would also severely affect the lives of farmers in the delta districts. He added that it was the duty of the Modi-led Centre to prevent Karnataka from laying even a single brick at the site.
On behalf of the Tamil Nadu Congress, Tagore vowed that the party would never allow the project and would go to any lengths to protect the state’s rights. He said he was travelling to Thanjavur on Saturday to speak in detail on the issue there. “Tamil Nadu will always stand united for Cauvery rights. Our voice will continue to ring out loudly to protect Tamil Nadu’s interests and our farmers’ rights without compromise,” he announced.
Responding later to Tagore’s criticism, Shivakumar Saturday said that Manickam Tagore did not know the facts and if he visited Karnataka with his delegation, Shivakumar would send his to the dam site. “See, it is in their interest. Supreme Court has clearly said you have to leave 177 TMC of water. Why create problems? Nothing is there. They are just politically looking at it. It is a Supreme Court order.”
Stating that Tamil Nadu had to respect the Supreme Court order, Shivakumar said the only request was that they give the Forest Department the compensatory land. “They have to give the clearance. Apart from that, it is our land, our right, and they are bound to get some 177 TMC of water. That is their duty. Let them ask for it. We are bound to give it to them. It helps Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka,” he responded.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: ‘TN farmers in state of perpetual anxiety’—Vijay objects to Mekedatu site visit in letter to Modi