Chennai, Aug 22 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President K V Thangkabalu today strongly condemned senior BJP leader and Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa for his opposition to the Hogenakkal Drinking Water project.

In a statement here, Mr Thangkabalu said Mr Yeddyurappa's warning that Karnataka would move the Supreme Court on the issue was a challenge posed to India's unity and integrity.

''It is a trouble-free project and Mr Yeddyurappa was unncessarily trying to create a problem,'' he said, referring to his remarks seeking Prime Minister's intervention in the issue.

Observing that Mr Yeddyurappa's remarks on the project was against the rights of Tamils, Mr Thangkabalu said there was no need to seek Karnataka's permission as the project involved drawing Cauvery waters flowing in Tamil Nadu.

Since the boundary limits of both the States had already been drawn by the officials involving the two states, Karnataka had no right to interfere in the project, which was aimed at providing quality drinking water to 30 lakh people of the flouride-affected Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts of Tamil Nadu.

Mr Thangkabalu also advised Mr Yeddyurappa to get the facts right from his good friend and BJP Tamil Nadu President L Ganesan about the project.

UNI GV NY AS1408