Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Thursday denied having made any provocative statement on the Hogenakkal integrated drinking water scheme issue, as alleged by senior Congress leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, a copy of which was released to the media in Chennai, Karunanidhi said that he felt sorry for the unkindly remarks made by Krishna in New Delhi on Wednesday. Krishna had claimed that the Tamil Nadu chief minister's harsh language had provoked reactions in Karnataka, leading to unhealthy developments.

''I have not used any harsh language either publicly or in the resolution passed unanimously in the State assembly (on the issue) on April 1,'' Karunandihi clarified in the letter, a copy of which was also sent to Krishna.

Recalling his statement, Karunanidhi said ''I am of the view that we should not fight each other as we are brothers. Some anti-social elements will magnify this and cause conflagration. I have been keeping patience so that no room is given to such a situation.''

Quoting media reports, he said no one could misinterpret his words if one went through his speech carefully. ''As a person who has understood me fully well, I am quite sure you will not believe or even imagine that such provocative words would have been uttered by me,'' he added.

Exuding confidence that Dr Singh and Gandhi would appreciate the just cause for which Tamil Nadu had been fighting within the democratic and the Constitutional framework, he said a chief minister could not remain quiet when in the neighbouring state, buses from Tamil Nadu were burnt, cinema halls screening Tamil films were ransacked, the Tamil Sangam office in Bangalore was attacked and Tamils in that state were living under constant fear.