Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai claimed that the whole Cauvery water issue started after Congress came to power in Karnataka. He said that Congress aggravated the problem for short-term political gains. TN BJP chief also accused DMK of playing politics over National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET). Talking to ANI, Annamalai said, "The whole problem started after Congress came to power in Karnataka. Karnataka Congress manifesto talked about the construction of a dam in Mekedatu which clearly goes against the lower riparian states”
Annamalai said that Karnataka Deputy CM further aggravated the whole issue. He said, “They created the problem for short-term political gains. Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said he will not even give one drop of water to Tamil Nadu. So he aggravated it further..”
Recently, the long-standing issue once again gained momentum after Supreme Court decided to form a bench on Monday in order to hear the Cauvery River water-sharing dispute issue. The government of Tamil Nadu had earlier petitioned the Apex court urging new directions over the release of water from Karnataka. Tamil Nadu also alleged that the adjacent state had "changed its position".
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On the NEET protest, Annamalai said, "DMK is playing politics over NEET. Till now, 18 students have died by suicide over NEET. It is purely DMK that is responsible. That is why I've urged that Tamil Nadu police should invoke abetment to suicide sections against MK Stalin and Udhayanidhi Stalin and book an FIR against them.”
“No common man participated in DMK's protest because the whole of Tamil Nadu is accepting NEET," he said.