BENGALURU: “Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s letter to his Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin on the Mekedatu project was a wrong move. When our (Congress) government was in power, we never sought permission from Tamil Nadu,” said Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah here on Monday. At an event organised by the Youth Congress at Basavanagudi, he said,
“According to the Supreme Court order, we have to go ahead with our work. It is not acceptable that our government wrote a letter seeking permission from a lower riparian state. Tamil Nadu will not face any water shortage if Karnataka builds the Mekedatu dam.” Siddaramaiah kicked up a row by saying...“Hamara kutta hamara gali mein sher."
We have 25 MPs and the CM who are tigers here, but are afraid to ask the Centre for our share of funds. If I were the CM, I would have sat on a dharna outside the office of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, demanding the release of Rs 5,495 crore which is due to us. They are al l scared of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Do we need such a government?,’’ he asked.
While some in the BJP ignored the issue, saying Siddaramaiah would have used these words lightly, MLC UB Venkatesh, who was present on the occasion, clarified, “Hamara Gali mein Sher… definitely did not refer to our MPs and CM. Besides, it is time to get cracking and get Rs 5,495 crore, not divert the issue by saying Siddaramaiah indulged in name calling.’’