The BJP and the Congress' politics over Hogenakkal is undermining national integrity EVEN IN normal circumstances, the regional chauvinistic politics of Karnataka can be detestable. With the state assembly elections round the corner, it has only worsened. Tamil Nadu government's Hogenakkal drinking water project has provided the platform to whip up sentiments in both the states. The project, when completed, would provide safe drinking water to people in the arid districts of Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. Ground water in this region is contaminated by fluoride and through this scheme an estimated three million people are supposed to benefit in the two districts. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation is extending financial aid for the project. The project has been under consideration for a long time. After a protracted delay, it has finally reached the implementation stage. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi laid the foundation stone last month in Hogenakkal. Trouble erupted soon after. Politicians in Karnataka claim that Tamil Nadu has illegally occupied some territories belonging to it in the Hogenakkal area. The issue has been blown beyond proportion and has been unjustly linked to the drinking water project. Politicians in Karnataka want Tamil Nadu to shelve the project till the alleged territory dispute is resolved. This problem has to be nipped in the bud or else it would spiral out of control like the Cauvery water dispute. The Hogenakkal project has got the Centre's clearance. Three different governments, including the present UPA government, have approved the scheme. Nobody raised objections all these years. All of a sudden, Karnataka politicians want to stop the project. Their argument lacks any justification. It should be of no concern to Karnataka how Tamil Nadu uses its share of Cauvery waters. Why can't Tamil Nadu use the water to provide drinking water to its people? Karunanidhi's decision to put the scheme on hold till the elections in Karnataka are over is clearly to oblige the Congress. Being a rationalist, he has calculated that the UPA government and the support of the Congress in the State are much more important than the water scheme. After having whipped up passions, Karunanidhi has made a fool of everybody by putting the project on hold. He now says that he would implement the scheme after a popular government assumes office in Karnataka. Is he now going to sell the idea that he was not aware that there was no popular government in Karnataka? Karunanidhi says he would negotiate with the government that comes to power after the elections. If the Congress comes to power he will go on negotiating endlessly. If the BJP comes to power, then there would be heroics from Karunanidhi again and everybody else. Perhaps even the film people may be asked to put on a second show. Karunanidhi has fooled the people of Tamil Nadu. BUT IT is the BJP that has outshone all other parties in Karnataka in politicising the issue. The party's seven-day chief minister Yedyurappa visited Hogenakkal along with his supporters to demonstrate against the project. His visit contributed much to the trouble that erupted soon after. It was astounding to see the BJP, which harps on nationalism, take the lead in inciting regional chauvinism. In my opinion, there is no difference between Raj Thackeray who incites hatred against people of other states and Yedyurappa. Both seem to have no qualms about damaging national integrity for petty political gains. It is sad the BJP and the Congress, though claiming to be national parties, behave in such a parochial way at times. It is also sickening to see that the national leadership of the BJP has not come out openly in favour of peace in both the states. After all there is an agreement between both the States, which was made tens years back. PMK leader Ramadoss is quite correct when he says that both the DMK and AIADMK governments have been dragging their feet without implementing the agreement, while Karnataka went ahead with the Bangalore drinking water scheme. The BJP ought to have told its Karnataka unit that they cannot behave like Raj Thackeray. That they failed to do it shows a lack of moral courage in the leadership. If the party throws up its hands and says that the Karnataka unit is beyond its control, then it doesn't deserve to be called a national party. I have good reason to fear that some fake spiritualists would accomplish what atheists sought to achieve, but failed miserably. What secessionists could not achieve, I am afraid these so-called nationalists may accomplish with ease