Top News

On Friday, Karnataka's Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar appealed to his Tamil Nadu counterpart, C. Vijay Joseph, to delay his planned visit to Bengaluru on August 3. This request comes in light of the recent decision by the CWMA to maintain the CWR's directive of releasing 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days, amidst rising tensions in the state.

Shivakumar's appeal follows widespread protests across Karnataka, particularly in Mandya, where demonstrators tore down posters of Vijay's newly released film 'Jan Nayakan' and forced some theaters to halt its screenings.

The Chief Minister mentioned that the state government had initially prepared to host discussions with the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. However, after consulting with his cabinet colleagues and legal team, he decided to request a postponement to ensure a peaceful environment for the meeting. He stated, 'I urge him (Vijay) to postpone his proposed visit for a while. The atmosphere is beginning to improve.'

Shivakumar noted that good rainfall has increased water flow, suggesting that they should hold their meeting in a more favorable and amicable setting. He has already communicated with Chief Minister Vijay and plans to request that they agree on a different date instead of August 3.

He emphasized the importance of warmly welcoming guests to their state, stating, 'Karnataka has always welcomed people from across the country. We should not hurt anyone's sentiments.'

The Chief Minister highlighted that Karnataka is a peaceful state and maintaining peace is a collective responsibility. He pointed out that many people from Tamil Nadu work in Karnataka, and numerous Kannadigas are employed in Tamil Nadu.

Shivakumar concluded, 'No one should face any difficulties. We cannot make decisions solely based on emotions.'