BENGALURU: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar on Sunday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, alleging that the latter had kept mum and failed to respond when Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat suggested that both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu should sit across the table and settle the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project issue.
Speaking to reporters at Kanakapura, Shivakumar has alleged that Bommai has forgotten his responsibility as Chief Minister of the state, and he is answerable since Shekawat had only said that the Centre is ready to mediate between the two states. “It is impossible that they (Tamil Nadu) too are not indulging in politics over the issue and are unlikely to give their consent for the project. Instead, the Union Minister should have set a deadline for environment clearance, which is pending,” he remarked.
“This indicates that the state government is incompetent to get clearance from the Central Environment Ministry. The CM should clarify in this regard or step down from his post as the Union Minister backtracking from helping the state is an insult to the people of Karnataka,” he opined.Basavaraj Bommai, in his budget, had earmarked Rs 1,000 crore to take up the Mekedatu project, but only after getting environmental clearance.