Chennai, 11 July

AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Saturday accused Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of compromising the state’s river rights, strongly condemning Karnataka’s alleged refusal to release Cauvery water.

"Reports quoted Karnataka Irrigation Minister Ramalinga Reddy as saying that water cannot be provided to Tamil Nadu and that no request for water release has been received from the Tamil Nadu government. This runs entirely counter to the integration of states and the verdict of the Supreme Court," Dhinakaran said.

Minister Reddy's statement has caused profound shock and immense resentment among the delta farmers and millions of people across more than 20 districts in Tamil Nadu who depend on the Cauvery as their primary source for drinking water and irrigation, Dhinakaran said in a statement.

Dhinakaran called the entire episode "an absolute insult to the rule of law".

Stating that while the Mettur Dam, which should have been opened on June 12, remains closed to date, the AMMK leader said

The Karnataka government has been delaying the release of Tamil Nadu's due share of 9.91 TMC for June and 32 TMC for July. He also called the attitude "highly condemnable".

Referring to the TVK's dependence on the Congress MLAs for sustaining its government, Dhinakaran claimed, "Suspicion now arises on whether the TVK government is ready to 'mortgage' Tamil Nadu’s rights in the Cauvery issue to the Karnataka Congress government" just to save itself from collapse.

"I urge Chief Minister Vijay not to adopt his usual passive and evasive approach to deceive the people of Tamil Nadu", Dhinakaran said, adding, "The TVK government must initiate swift legal action and make intense efforts to secure our rightful share of water in Cauvery. The state government should also immediately take all necessary measures to permanently halt the Mekedatu dam project, which poses a severe threat to Tamil Nadu’s water rights."