Bengaluru, Aug 2 (IANS) Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Sunday wrote an open letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, urging him to adopt a statesmanlike approach during discussions with Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar on the Cauvery River dispute and to extend support for the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.
In the letter, Vijayendra urged the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to view the proposed Mekedatu project in a spirit of cooperation.
He said the project could substantially meet Bengaluru’s drinking water requirements without affecting Tamil Nadu’s legitimate share of water. Support for the project, he added, would become a powerful symbol of cooperation between the two states.
Vijayendra said Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have shared a deep and enduring relationship for centuries, built on common history, culture, trade and the close bonds between their people. He noted that both states have lived as “brother states” founded on mutual respect and goodwill.
He highlighted that millions of Tamils have made Karnataka, particularly Bengaluru, their home and have contributed significantly to its growth, while Kannadigas living and working in Tamil Nadu have also played an important role in the neighbouring state’s progress and prosperity. This mutual dependence, he said, reflects a people-to-people relationship that transcends state boundaries.
Acknowledging that differences between neighbouring states are inevitable, Vijayendra said what matters is how they are resolved.
He recalled the long-pending issue surrounding the installation of the Thiruvalluvar statue in Bengaluru, stating that it was ultimately resolved through the statesmanship of former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and the magnanimity of former Tamil Nadu CM M. Karunanidhi.
According to him, their approach demonstrated that even difficult issues can be resolved when the larger interests of the people prevail.
Referring to reports that Tamil Nadu CM Joseph Vijay would soon visit Bengaluru to hold talks with Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar on the Cauvery issue, Vijayendra appealed to him to approach the discussions with empathy towards Karnataka’s farmers and citizens and in the same spirit of statesmanship.
Describing the Cauvery as the lifeline of Bengaluru and several towns in its basin, Vijayendra said millions of people, including both Kannadigas and Tamils living in Karnataka, depend on the river for drinking water. At a time when an uncertain monsoon has placed immense pressure on farmers and citizens, he said their concerns cannot be ignored.
Expressing hope that Joseph Vijay would protect Tamil Nadu’s interests while respecting Karnataka’s legitimate concerns, Vijayendra said such an approach would strengthen the historic relationship between the neighbouring states.
He concluded the letter with the message: “Let the Cauvery unite our people rather than divide them.”
–IANS
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