Union Minister Pralhad Joshi asks Congress to clear its stand on Mekedatu Project

Hubballi (Karnataka): Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday questioned the Congress party’s stand on the contentious Mekedatu balancing reservoir project after the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu said in its Lok Sabha manifesto that it will stall it.

Karnataka has been pushing for the balancing reservoir across the river Cauvery at Mekedatu in Kanakapura while Tamil Nadu has opposed it saying the project will block its share of Cauvery water.

“The DMK has said in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha election that it will stall the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project if voted. It is not just a DMK manifesto, but they have made this declaration as a member of the INDI Alliance. I want to ask the Congress what its stand is on this,” the former Karnataka president of the BJP told reporters.

He said the Congress had staged a demonstration in 2022 when they were in the opposition, with a slogan ‘Namma Neeru, Namma Hakku’ (Our water our rights) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Going against the court ruling that the COVID-19 related restrictions should be followed, the Congress held a march for Mekedatu balancing reservoir project in 2022, the union minister said.

“What is your stand? You staged a demonstration in Delhi that time. Now once again hold protests in Delhi against DMK. Are you ready to remove DMK from I.N.D.I.A. bloc? Congress always did opportunistic politics. Congress has no commitment, and time and again it displays its hypocrisy,” Joshi alleged.