Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss on 9 November 2026 mounted a sharp attack on Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the proposed Mekedatu dam across the Cauvery River, accusing him of misrepresenting Supreme Court observations and stoking a fresh interstate confrontation for political gain. Ramadoss declared that Karnataka had neither the legal nor the moral right to build the dam without Tamil Nadu's explicit consent.

What Triggered the Dispute

The PMK leader's statement came after Shivakumar reportedly claimed that the Supreme Court had given Karnataka the green light to proceed with the Mekedatu project and that Tamil Nadu's approval was not a prerequisite. Ramadoss rejected this reading outright, asserting that the apex court had issued no such permission for construction. According to Ramadoss, the court had only directed the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to examine the proposal through established legal channels — a far cry from an unconditional clearance.

Legal and Historical Basis of Tamil Nadu's Objection

Ramadoss anchored his argument in a chain of legal instruments: the Cauvery water-sharing agreements of 1892 and 1924, the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's 2007 award, and the Supreme Court's 2018 judgment. He argued that taken together, these precedents bar any upstream state from undertaking infrastructure that adversely impacts downstream flows. He further noted that former Union Water Resources Ministers Uma Bharti and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had both maintained on record that the Mekedatu project could not proceed without Tamil Nadu's consent — lending the objection cross-party, national-level backing.

The Political Dimension

Accusing the ruling Congress government in Karnataka of weaponising the dispute, Ramadoss alleged that Shivakumar was engineering political momentum ahead of the next Karnataka Assembly elections. He claimed the state government may allocate funds for the project in its forthcoming budget and conduct foundation-stone ceremonies to consolidate support in Cauvery basin districts — prioritising optics over legal process, critics argue.

Water Security Concerns for Tamil Nadu

Beyond the political charge, Ramadoss raised substantive concerns about downstream water security. He alleged that Karnataka had consistently failed to release Tamil Nadu's rightful share of Cauvery water, allowing significant flows downstream largely during flood events when storage was not the constraint. The proposed reservoir, with a storage capacity of approximately 70 TMC, could, he warned, further constrict flows to Tamil Nadu, seriously threatening both irrigation and drinking water needs across the state.

Ramadoss's Demands from the Centre

The PMK leader urged the Union government to reject Karnataka's interpretation of the Supreme Court proceedings and ensure that no approval is granted for the Mekedatu project without Tamil Nadu's explicit consent. He also called upon the Centre to publicly condemn what he described as Karnataka's attempts to mislead the public on the contentious interstate water row. Tamil Nadu, he added, retains the right to challenge any adverse decision before the Supreme Court. With both states digging in, the dispute looks set to intensify as Karnataka's budget season approaches.