Tamil Nadu Minister for Public Works and Sports Development Aadhav Arjuna, on Sunday (July 26, 2026), said the questions raised by DMK president M.K. Stalin, alleging that Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay had not taken any measures to secure the State’s share of Cauvery water and opposing the Karnataka government’s proposal to construct a balancing reservoir across the Cauvery at Mekedatu, were “contrary to facts.”

In a statement, Mr. Arjuna said the State government was resolved to protect the livelihood of farmers in the Cauvery delta, ensure the State’s drinking water security and safeguard Tamil Nadu’s legal rights over Cauvery waters.

Recalling Mr. Vijay’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on May 27, the Minister said Mr. Vijay had submitted a memorandum explaining Tamil Nadu’s stand on the Cauvery water-sharing issue, the Karnataka government’s proposed Mekedatu project and its impact on delta farmers.

He also recalled in detail the letter written by Mr. Vijay to Mr. Modi, elaborating on various aspects of the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court’s judgment on sharing Cauvery water, objecting to the Mekedatu project, and the resolution opposing the Mekedatu project unanimously adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

He said the Tamil Nadu government had been consistently pursuing all legal, administrative and political measures to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s rights over Cauvery waters.

Referring to the previous DMK government, the Minister said the Supreme Court had dismissed Tamil Nadu’s petition against Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report for constructing the Mekedatu dam on November 13, 2025. A review petition filed by the then government was dismissed on April 15, 2026, followed by the dismissal of a curative petition on April 25, 2026. He alleged that the previous government had failed to effectively present Tamil Nadu’s case and that those legal setbacks had contributed to the present situation.

“We [the State government] do not wish to divert Tamil Nadu’s stand on the Cauvery water dispute and the Mekedatu dam issue by dwelling on such lapses of the past. We have no such narrow political motive. At the same time, we are always open to considering, examining and accepting constructive criticism, not only from former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin but from anyone,” the Minister added.