New Delhi [India], July 25 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday dismissed Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's reported remarks on the Mahadayi project, calling them "false" and asserting that the issue has already been settled by the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal.
"Goa CM's statement is false. Matter is settled in the Tribunal. There is no case in the Supreme Court. Goa CM has no locus standi. It is pending with the Government of India. The Central Government has to give clearance," Siddaramaiah said at a press conference here in Delhi.
The Karnataka CM backed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's concerns raised in Parliament about irregularities in the electoral rolls. "Eligible voters from the voter list are excluded. New voters are being added. That is what Rahul Gandhi raised in the Parliament. I agree. Rahul Gandhi has proof...We complained to the EC several times, but they responded negatively," he said.
Earlier in the day, Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre reiterated the state's commitment to completing the Mahadayi project despite objections from Goa. He also urged the Union government to treat all states equally.
"There should be no hurdles in the Mahadayi project. We have also submitted a proposal for the land we need for the project. Still, if the Goa CM says that the Union Forest Minister rejected it, I condemn this. The Union government must see every state as equal. We will definitely complete this project," Khandre said while speaking to ANI.
He also criticised the BJP over the ongoing Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, accusing the party of misusing central agencies to target Congress leaders.
"The BJP is misusing the agencies like the ED and the CBI. Siddaramaiah and his family have done nothing, and the BJP is trying to defame them through a false case. I demand that they should apologise to the Congress," Khandre said.
Meanwhile, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant responded to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's remarks, where he said Sawant had "lost his mental balance" over the Mahadayi project, by calling it a reflection of the "Congress culture."
"Under the Congress culture, they have always been using such words. On this, I don't want to say anything else. We will continue to fight on the Mahadayi issue," Sawant told ANI.
While speaking to the media on Thursday, Shivakumar said, "I think Goa CM has lost his mental balance because he doesn't know what kind of inter-state relationship should exist... I am going to start the work. Let them stop it."
The Mahadayi river originates in Karnataka's Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary and flows through Goa before emptying into the Arabian Sea. Karnataka plans to divert 7.56 tmcft of water to the Malaprabha valley for the Kalasa-Banduri project, which would support over 40 lakh people in Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Bagalkot, and nearby areas. However, Goa has objected to this plan, leading to a decades-long dispute.
The dispute has led to a legal and political battle between the two states. Goa plans to file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against Karnataka for activities aimed at diverting water from the Mahadayi River. Karnataka, on the other hand, will discuss the Mahadayi issue during the monsoon session of the legislature, which starts on August 11.
The Centre's role in resolving the dispute remains crucial, with Karnataka accusing it of obstructing the project's implementation.