Be careful with Cauvery issue: Karunanidhi

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supremo M Karunanidhi on Monday said the state governments in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka should deal with the issue of sharing of waters from Cauvery river with adequate care and ensure that the 'prevailing feeling of bitterness' over the matter does not turn into 'enmity'.

Karunanidhi made the comments at a time when some violent incidents were reported on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border over the issue.

"The ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in Karnataka and the AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) in Tamil Nadu should not give any room for the prevailing feeling of bitterness among people of both states over the Cauvery water issue turn into enmity," said Karunanidhi.

"Both states should handle the issue with adequate care in order to maintain law and order and also help Tamil people living in Karnataka and people of Karnataka in Tamil Nadu live without any hurdles," he said.

The meeting between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and her Karnataka counterpart Jagadish Shettar in Bangalore to discuss the long-standing Cauvery water dispute failed last Thursday.

Jayalalithaa said the Karnataka government had refused to give water to Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Jayalalithaa said: "Karnataka flatly refused to release any water to Tamil Nadu."

"We will go before the Supreme Court and tell them the outcome of the meeting," she said.

The meeting occurred in the wake of the Supreme Court´s direction that asked both the Chief Ministers to meet and attempt to solve the problem in the larger interest of the farmers of both states.