Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar on Friday appealed to his Tamil Nadu counterpart C. Vijay Joseph to postpone his proposed August 3 visit to Bengaluru, citing the tense atmosphere in Karnataka following the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) decision directing the State to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

The appeal comes amid widespread protests across Karnataka over the water-sharing issue, with demonstrations reported in several districts, including Mandya, where protesters targeted promotional material for Vijay’s recently released film Jana Nayagan and disrupted screenings at some theatres.

Chief Minister seeks postponement

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said the Karnataka government had initially made preparations to host the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for bilateral talks but decided to seek a postponement after discussions with his Cabinet colleagues and legal team.

He said the meeting should take place in a peaceful and cordial atmosphere rather than during a period of heightened public sentiment.

“I request him to defer his proposed visit for a short while. At present, the atmosphere is beginning to improve. There is good rainfall and water inflows are increasing. Let us hold our meeting in a more conducive and cordial atmosphere,” Shivakumar said.

The Chief Minister added that he had already spoken to Vijay and would once again request him to mutually decide on another date for the meeting instead of August 3.

Karnataka known for hospitality

Emphasising Karnataka’s tradition of welcoming visitors, Shivakumar said the State should continue to receive guests with warmth despite the prevailing tensions.

He stressed that Karnataka is a peace-loving State and that maintaining communal harmony and public order was the responsibility of everyone.

“Whenever a guest visits our State, we should receive them with warmth and cordiality. Karnataka has always welcomed people from across the country. We should not hurt anyone’s sentiments,” he said.

The Chief Minister also noted the close social and economic ties between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, pointing out that many Tamils live and work in Karnataka while several Kannadigas are employed in Tamil Nadu.

He said governments should avoid taking decisions driven purely by emotions and instead focus on ensuring that ordinary people do not suffer.

Preparations already underway

Shivakumar clarified that the request to defer the visit was not a rejection of dialogue but an effort to create a favourable environment for meaningful discussions.

He said preparations for the meeting had already begun and Karnataka remained ready to discuss all outstanding issues respectfully once the situation normalised.

According to the Chief Minister, the State’s legal team and officials had prepared extensively for the proposed talks.

Strong pitch for Mekedatu project

During the interaction, Shivakumar strongly advocated Karnataka’s long-pending Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, arguing that it would benefit both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

He said the project would help regulate river flows and claimed Tamil Nadu stood to gain significantly from its implementation.

“In my view, the Mekedatu project will benefit Tamil Nadu even more than Karnataka. The only direct benefit Karnataka will derive is the generation of about 400 MW of hydropower,” he said.

The Chief Minister explained that the proposed 66 tmc reservoir was intended only as a balancing reservoir and could not be used to expand irrigation in Karnataka.

He reiterated that the State had no authority to utilise the stored water for new irrigation projects.

Clarifies legal position

Referring to the legal framework governing the Cauvery dispute, Shivakumar said the Supreme Court had directed Karnataka to release 177.25 tmc of water annually to Tamil Nadu while also recognising Karnataka’s right to construct the balancing reservoir within its territory.

He also dismissed reports suggesting that Karnataka’s proposal for the Mekedatu project had been rejected.

According to him, authorities had only sought clarifications on the proposal, and the government would study the observations, provide the required responses and continue pursuing the project through legal channels.

All-party meeting on Sunday

The Chief Minister said Karnataka would continue protecting its interests through both legal remedies and dialogue.

He emphasised that while Karnataka respected Tamil Nadu’s concerns, it was equally important to convey the challenges being faced by Karnataka this year due to water availability.

Shivakumar announced that an all-party meeting would be held on Sunday to discuss the Cauvery issue and formulate the State’s future course of action.

He added that once the atmosphere became calmer, he would extend a fresh invitation to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for discussions at a mutually convenient time.

The proposed meeting is expected to focus on the long-standing Cauvery water-sharing dispute and ways to address the concerns of both States through dialogue while respecting the legal framework governing river water distribution.