BJP won’t allow anyone to build dam at Mekedatu: Annamalai

THANJAVUR: BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit will continue to oppose everyone in Karnataka over the proposed construction of a dam across the river Cauvery at Mekedatu, said party state president K Annamalai on Thursday.
“The then Congress government in Karnataka had proposed to construct the dam and the present (BJP) government is also going ahead with the proposal. We are opposing everyone as we are against the construction of the dam. BJP Tamil Nadu will never allow anyone to construct the dam ever,” said Annamalai while launching the hunger strike organized by the party along with over 500 cadres and farmers near Panagal building here.
Annamalai and functionaries reached the venue on a bullock cart in a procession from Rajaraja Chozhan statue. Addressing reporters after the demonstration, he quoted the assurance given by Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat that the central government will not give the nod to Karnataka to construct the dam.
He said the construction of the dam would not be possible because the Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956 clearly states that a dam cannot be constructed without the permission of the state to where the river water is flowing. He cited Cauvery water management authority’s (CWMA) statement that the dam cannot be constructed at Mekedatu.
“Yet, we are staging a non-violent protest to make farmers of Tamil Nadu believe that the Modi government at the Centre revolves around the welfare of the farming community,” he said. Since the BJP did not get permission for the strike, they had to wind up in a few hours. On the TNCC, DMK and MNM criticising their hunger strike, Annamalai said no party had locus standi to criticise BJP over Mekedatu. He said DMK “has no idea about agriculture”. “We will never let any political party defame our farmers,” he added.