Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led Centre and the AIADMK government in the state for not having set up the Cauvery Management Board within the Supreme Court-ordered deadline, Leader of Opposition and DMK Working President MK Stalin slammed the two for betraying the people of Tamil Nadu.
In a statement released to the media, Stalin said that the BJP and the AIADMK had conspired to betray Tamil Nadu by not implementing the verdict of the Supreme Court even as the deadline to set up the CMB expired on Thursday evening. Stalin wrote, “Without having set up the Cauvery Management Board as mandated by the Supreme Court within six weeks, the Centre has betrayed Tamil Nadu.”
Accusing the Centre of lying and of the Edappadi Palaniswami-led government of sleeping, Stalin said, “The AIADMK government kept its mouth shut and watched. When the Water Resources Secretary blatantly lied saying ‘the words Cauvery Management Board are not to be found in the Supreme Court’s verdict’, the AIADMK government here did not counter it. Instead of asking why the Water Resources Minister and the Secretary are speaking against the orders of the Supreme Court, Edappadi Palaniswami was sleeping.”
His statement comes even as the Centre plans to move the Supreme Court on Saturday seeking clarification on the word ‘scheme’ that has been used in its judgement, while the Tamil Nadu government plans to file a contempt of court petition before the SC. The main contention with the apex court’s judgement is with the word ‘scheme’. While Tamil Nadu argues that “scheme” means complying with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB), Karnataka, on the other hand, argues that there is no mention of the river management board and only a ‘scheme’ is mentioned.
In his statement on Friday, Stalin also said, “Had they filed a contempt of court case against the two, the CMB would have been set up by now. But, in defiance of two Supreme Court orders to set up the Cauvery Management Board, the BJP-led Centre and the AIADMK government in the state have worked as ‘inseparable partners’ and have betrayed Tamil Nadu.”
Referring to AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP Navaneethakrishnan’s threat that all AIADMK MPs would commit suicide if the CMB was not set up, Stalin said, “The AIADMK government, which dances to the tunes of the BJP-led Centre conducted an eyewash of a protest in parliament. The AIADMK government here did not put enough pressure on the BJP-led Centre and they have doubly betrayed Tamil Nadu.
Referring to the all-party meeting called by the AIADMK a few days after the February 16 verdict, Stalin said, “Despite being a useless one, DMK as the primary opposition created unity for the all- party meeting that was called. The AIADMK government has lowered this flag of unity. This government has failed to implement the three resolutions that were decided upon at the all-party meeting.”
Stalin pointed out that the TN government had failed to meet the Prime Minister and the Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari; instead, the government had only represented the issue at the level of bureaucrats.
Calling the AIADMK’s efforts to realise the Cauvery Management Board a half-hearted one, Stalin said that it has caused great agony.
Stalin remarked that the state government’s behaviour is reflective of the authoritarian attitude that people can be taken for a ride. He also pointed out that the government was continuing to peddle lies about the setting up of the Cauvery Management Board.
Stalin noted out that even as the people in the state were anxiously waiting for an announcement on the CMB, not one discussion point was raised in that regard at the cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on Thursday.
“The Chief Minister does not have the strength to even condemn the Prime Minister. While the BJP-led Centre has little concern for the Supreme Court’s verdict, the Tamil Nadu government is spending its time as a slave of the Centre,” he wrote.
At an emergency meeting of the DMK on Friday, the party resolved to conduct a major protest in consultation with other parties. With Modi set to visit Tamil Nadu on April 11 for the Defence Expo 2018, the DMK also plans to hold a black flag protest.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam announced in Madurai that a “hunger fast” will be conducted by the AIADMK on April 2 with regard to the Cauvery issue.