Panaji/Bengaluru: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday strongly rebuked Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s remark that he had “lost his mental balance,” terming it a reflection of “Congress culture” and political frustration.
Speaking to the media in Panaji, Sawant said Shivakumar’s comments lacked civility and were unbecoming of a constitutional functionary. “When leaders are frustrated, they resort to such language. This is not new—it reflects the internal competition within the Karnataka Congress to stoop to new lows,” he said.
The political friction intensified after Shivakumar, on Thursday, asserted that Karnataka would move ahead with the controversial Mahadayi river diversion project and accused Sawant of being unaware of India’s federal structure. Shivakumar’s remarks came in response to Sawant’s statement in the Goa Assembly that the state would approach the Supreme Court to halt Karnataka’s ongoing work on the project, despite the legal proceedings still pending.
“This is a serious issue for Goa. We are committed to saving the Mhadei river from being diverted and will continue to pursue our case both in the Supreme Court and with the central government,” Sawant said.
Also Read: “Goa CM Has Lost Mental Balance Over Mahadayi Issue,” Says Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Goa has consistently opposed Karnataka’s Kalasa-Banduri diversion scheme, which seeks to channel Mahadayi river water into the Malaprabha river to meet drinking water needs in parts of north Karnataka, including Dharwad, Belagavi, Bagalkote, and Gadag districts.
The Mahadayi river—referred to as the Mandovi in Goa—is ecologically critical to the state’s biodiversity. Environmentalists and the Goa government have long argued that diverting its waters would significantly damage the region’s flora and fauna.
In 2018, the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal allocated 13.42 tmcft to Karnataka, 1.33 tmcft to Maharashtra, and 24 tmcft to Goa, with the Centre formally notifying the award in 2020. However, the dispute remains politically and legally contentious, with both states continuing to trade barbs and file cases.
Sawant concluded by reaffirming that Goa’s stance on the Mahadayi issue would remain firm. “This is not a political game for us—it is about the ecological future of our state,” he said.
