Mekedatu dam row: Tamil Nadu BJP president to go on fast against BJP-run Karnataka government from Aug 5

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 2 (ANI): BJP's Tamil Nadu and Karnataka units have locked horns over the issue of building a dam at Mekedatu on the Cauvery.
Tamil Nadu Nadu BJP president K Annamalai has announced a protest fast on August 5 against the decision of the Karnataka government to go ahead and build the Mekedatu dam.
"We are not here to react and prove to anybody. Karnataka maintains its stand clear and we are protesting to get it to drop that plan (construction of dam). We are not in the business of reacting. We hear people's aspirations. We don't give too much importance to what others say. We are with the aspiration of Tamil Nadu farmers," Annamalai said.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai had a few days ago said: "Annamalai can sit for hunger strike or not, it is none of my business. We have the rights over the Mekedatu and we will do it. We have already done DPR and we will take approval for DPR."
When asked about the Karnataka CM's remark, Tamil Nadu BJP president said, "No need to react to him. As a chief minister of state, he made a statement. No need to react. Our stand is very clear we represent farmers' interests, and in Thanjavur, we are doing it."
"(The protest) is not against anybody, not against any person not against any state and not never against any community," he added.
"It's against the decision of state government. That's the whole thing. at the same time, we are also conscious of the fact that Kanadiggas live in Tamilnadu, and Tamilians live in Karnataka. so both states have a history of extending our peacefulness," he added.
The Mekedatu balancing reservoir-cum drinking water project, to be constructed across the Cauvery river basin, has been at the centre of controversy between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Earlier on July 12, former Karnataka Home Minister Bommai had said that the Centre will have to give clearance to the project as per law and there is no reason the state government will stop the project. (ANI)