Karnataka CM meets Union Jal Shakti Minister, requests for clearance of Mekedatu reservoir DPR
New Delhi, Apr 5: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai called on Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday and requested him for clearance of the detailed project report (DPR) for the Mekedatu balancing reservoir across the Cauvery river.
Bommai's meeting with Shekhawat on this issue came days after the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a unanimous resolution on March 21 condemning the Karnataka government for its "unilateral" decision to proceed with the Mekedatu project.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bommai said the state government is pursuing the Mekedatu project within the limits set by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
"Our project will not reduce the share of water that is to be given to Tamil Nadu. Therefore, the approval should be given to our DPR," he said.
The chief minister said that the neighbouring state will not face any problem with Karnataka implementing the Mekedatu multi-purpose project that involves building a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district.
Tamil Nadu has been getting excess water that was more than its share and the state will get its due share decided by the tribunal, he added.
In the meeting, the chief minister also discussed the long-pending Upper Krishna Project-III that will increase the height of the Almatti dam from 519 to 524 metres. The matter is in the Supreme Court.
Two judges have recused themselves from hearing the matter. The hearing will start after the Supreme Court engage new judges to hear the matter, he said.
The chief minister also took up the Godavari-Cauvery river interlinking project and said the DPR should not be approved unless the states concerned get equitable distribution of water.
"Till this is done, we have asked them not to approve the DPR. They have agreed to this. They have said they will issue a direction in this regard," he added.
In a separate meeting with Union Power Minister R K Singh, Bommai sought clearance for pending projects.
Bommai said that he will meet Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday.
ಇಂದು ನವದೆಹಲಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಜಲ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಸಚಿವ ಗಜೇಂದ್ರ ಸಿಂಗ್ ಶೇಖಾವತ್ ಅವರನ್ನು ಭೇಟಿ ಮಾಡಿ ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಹಲವು ನೀರಾವರಿ ಯೋಜನೆಗಳ ಕುರಿತು ಸಮಾಲೋಚನೆ ನಡೆಸಲಾಯಿತು.
— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) April 5, 2022
Met the Union Minister of Jal Shakti @gssjodhpur in New Delhi today and discussed about various water projects in the state. pic.twitter.com/o5KIZHgQFo
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Marxism will remain relevant despite Left electoral's losses, says general secretary M A Baby
New Delhi (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary M A Baby on Thursday asserted that the Left movement would remain relevant despite not being in power in any state, saying the ideology would continue to endure as long as social and economic inequalities persist.
Hitting back at BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar over his reported remarks that Marxism had become irrelevant, Baby, in an interview with PTI Videos, said, "So long as there is division in society, so long as there is exploitation of the majority of workers, peasants and ordinary masses by a handful of billionaires, Marxism will remain relevant."
"That perhaps Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar may not be able to understand, but this is the fact of the matter," he said.
Baby acknowledged that the CPI(M)-led Left was currently without an elected government in any state, but maintained that electoral setbacks would not diminish the movement's role.
"We may not have an elected government in any state. There were occasions when we didn't have a government. But the red flag and the commitment to organise and struggle for the rights of the dispossessed, marginalised and exploited will always be upheld by CPI(M) and the Left movement," he said.
He said the Left continued to enjoy support among workers, peasants, agricultural labourers, youth, students and women, and argued that the movement remained necessary because "oppression and assault" continued in society.
"So long as such problems exist in society, the red flag and the working class movement will continue to work among the masses," the Left leader said.
Exuding confidence on the Left's revival, Baby said the party would reflect on the reasons behind its electoral loss.
"We may be rejected in one election, but we will stage our comeback by understanding what went wrong with us," he said, adding, "We will listen to people and we will come back with higher strength."
Baby also criticised the Congress over reported factional tensions in Kerala after the Congress-led United Democratic Front's victory in the state.
"The way they are behaving is being watched by the people of Kerala," he said, referring to infighting within the Congress.
"Those who have given a massive majority to Congress and UDF would be watching all this," he added, while urging party leaders to "settle the problem in an amicable, democratic manner".
Referring to West Bengal, Baby alleged that violence had escalated following the BJP's victory in the state assembly polls.
"It is quite unfortunate that the moment BJP snatched a massive victory in West Bengal, violence has also started on a big scale," he said.
He also accused the Trinamool Congress of being "notorious for violent activities" and alleged that the "RSS-controlled BJP" had "unleashed violence in many places" after the election results.
"This is not good for Bengal, not good for the country. We wish and hope that normalcy would be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Baby said the CPI(M) and the Left in West Bengal would continue efforts to "pacify people" and avoid violence and confrontation.
Asked about former Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan not reacting publicly to the election results, Baby said Vijayan would respond "at an appropriate time".
