There was a heated exchange of words between DMK member Durai Murugan and the Chief Minister in the Assembly even as the resolution on Mekadatu was being passed.
Pointing to the appreciation the resolution made to the efforts of the Tamil Nadu government on the issue, Mr. Durai Murugan said it was not only the present government but also previous governments, including the DMK regime, that took the legal route in the Cauvery issue.
Mr. Panneerselvam said the final award of the Cauvery Tribunal came out in 2007. Despite being in alliance at the Centre and ruling Tamil Nadu at that time, the DMK could not get the order published in the Gazette. It was only after the AIADMK government, under former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, took over in 2011 that the Supreme Court was approached and the order notified.
When Mr. Durai Murugan stood up again to reply, he was denied permission by the Speaker. The DMK members walked out of the Assembly and returned to pass the resolution unanimously.
During his speech, Mr. Durai Murugan also wondered why the AIADMK as a political party did not come out in support of the bandh. The Supreme Court has only barred governments from backing bandhs.
“Will Stalin give up public life?”
Quoting statistics on the total electricity generated in Tamil Nadu in the last four years of AIADMK rule, Electricity Minister Natham R. Viswanathan on Friday sought to know if DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin would give up public life as promised.
During a discussion on the Budget, CPI (M) MLA K. Balabharathi sought to know the break-up of electricity generation from each power plant. The question drew cheers from the DMK MLAs, who shouted that the Minister was now in a difficult spot.
Mr. Viswanathan then provided a detailed answer with the break-up and said a total of over 3,355 MW of power was generated in Tamil Nadu since 2011. Compared to this, a mere 206 MW was produced during the previous DMK regime, he said.
Pointing to a reported statement by Mr. Stalin offering to quit public life if proof for generation of even a single MW of power is provided by the AIADMK government, he wanted to know if the DMK treasurer would keep his promise.
Alagiri criticised
The day also saw AIADMK Ministers taking a dig at former Union Minister M.K. Alagiri.
During the debate on the budget, DMK MLA A.V.Velu pointed to the spike in prices of fertilizers over the last four years and asked why the Minimum Support Price for crops like sugarcane was not going up to offset the higher cost of production.
Cooperation Minister Sellur. K. Raju said it was Mr. Alagiri as Union Minister who signed the files that decontrolled prices of fertilisers. The DMK had no locus standi to question the enormous increase in the farm input cost, he said.
