Tracing Tamil Nadu's Approach to the Dispute Since 1969, He Said the State Had Moved From Attempts at Dialogue to Relying on Legal Remedies

Tamil Nadu CM C Joseph Vijay defended his proposal for talks with Karnataka on the Cauvery dispute, saying he was ready to bear insults if it benefited the state. He rejected the DMK's demand for an all-party meeting on the Mekedatu dam issue. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday defended his proposal to hold talks with Karnataka over the Cauvery water dispute, saying he was willing to "bear insults" if dialogue could benefit the people of the state, while ruling out an all-party meeting on the contentious Mekedatu dam project, PTI reported.

Responding to Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin during a discussion in the assembly, Vijay said it was his own idea to explore talks with Karnataka in the hope of finding a positive outcome. "I thought, what if talks are held with the neighbouring state, as even nations that are sworn enemies hold dialogue to solve issues, the chief minister said. Vijay said he had considered visiting Bengaluru to discuss the Cauvery issue and was "prepared to bear insults" if it helped advance Tamil Nadu's interests.

Despite advocating dialogue, Vijay said there was no change in his government's official position of pursuing the Cauvery dispute through legal means. Tracing Tamil Nadu's approach to the dispute since 1969, he said the state had moved from attempts at dialogue to relying on legal remedies. Quoting former Congress leader P G Karuthiruman, Vijay said the Cauvery issue had to be handled "very carefully" and stressed that his government would continue to act in accordance with the law.

The remarks came after Udhayanidhi Stalin demanded that the government convene an all-party meeting over Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project on the Cauvery River. Stalin argued that, like Karnataka, all political parties in Tamil Nadu should present a united front against the project and questioned why the government had not convened a meeting despite repeated demands. He also criticised Vijay for postponing his proposed visit to Karnataka.

Vijay, however, rejected the demand, saying there was "no need" for an all-party meeting. "Please do not play politics on the Mekedatu dam issue. Our government will not compromise on its rights regarding the river water issue or the Mekedatu dam issue, he said.

The issue triggered sharp exchanges between the ruling TVK and the opposition. Leader of the House Sengottaiyan objected to remarks about Vijay's proposed Karnataka visit, urging members to confine the discussion to the Mekedatu project, ANI reported. Meanwhile, minister Aadhav Arjuna criticised the previous DMK government, saying review petitions filed against the Mekedatu project had been dismissed by the Supreme Court.

DMK leader K N Nehru countered that the previous government had acted promptly on the issue. PMK MLA Sowmya Anbumani also backed the demand for an all-party meeting and urged the state government to take a united resolution to the Centre. The Mekedatu balancing reservoir proposed by Karnataka has remained a major flashpoint in the decades-old Cauvery water-sharing dispute.

Tamil Nadu has consistently opposed the project, arguing that it could reduce downstream water flows and affect irrigation and drinking water supplies in the state. Karnataka, however, maintains that the project is intended to regulate water flow and has argued that Tamil Nadu would also benefit from the reservoir. Prabhakar Jha is a journalist and digital news editor with nearly a decade of experience in online media, specialising in breaking news, politics, national affairs. Having built his career across fast-paced digital newsrooms, he has developed a reputation for delivering accurate, timely, and reader-friendly stories while leading editorial teams during high-pressure news cycles.