Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa is propitiating gods in Tamil Nadu for better ties between the two states. He is praying for more rains in Karnataka. On Monday he visited the Sun Temple at Tirunallar, 300km from here, and prayed to Lord Saneesvara. From there, he proceeded to the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram.
“I have come here to pray for sufficient rain in the Cauvery basin and other parts of the state. I hope we will get good rain this year so that there is no problem in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka,” Yeddyurappa told reporters outside Tirunallar temple.
He reached the port town of Karaikal in Puducherry by helicopter and travelled by car from there to reach the temple, 8km away. He then left for Chidam-baram by helicopter via Karaikal for a darshan at the Nataraja temple.
The police held 54 protesters in Chidambaram when they tried to stage a black flag demonstration against the Karnataka chief minister on the Cauvery water row.
Posters condemning Yeddyurappa and asking him not to visit the town had been put up soon after security personnel from Karnataka visited Chidambaram on Sunday to make arrangements for his visit. The Tamil Farmers Union and Tamil Youth Forum tried to stage black flag demonstrations condemning Yeddyurappa for not releasing Cauvery water. But police action prevented the tension from escalating.
Yeddyurappa was garlanded and presented a shawl at the temple entrance. He visited various temples, including the major temple town of Kumbakonam. “The Cauvery water dispute with Tamil Nadu will be amicably settled,” Yeddyurappa assured his hosts. He arrived in Tamil Nadu from New Delhi where he had gone to attend the BJP’s national executive meeting.
