Cauvery row: Subramanian Swamy asks Tamil Nadu, Karnataka to ensure peace is maintained

NEW DELHI: Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy today asked Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to ensure that no violence takes place in the wake of dispute over sharing of Cauvery river water between the two states.

In a statement, Swamy said both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Governments should inspire the people in the dispute to think themselves as Indians first and Tamils and Kannadigas afterwards.

In this regard, he demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh take up the issue of linking of rivers because India has many rivers which overflow and the waters go unutilised.

"There are also other rivers like Cauvery and Vaigai which are perennially short of bed without any water. Hence the nation must develop a water grid to rationally distribute surplus water between the states," he said.