Even as the Karnataka government has convened a special sitting of its legislative Assembly to discuss the Cauvery issue on September 24, DMK president M. Karunanidhi and Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin on Thursday urged the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to emulate the same to deliberate on the issue.
In a statement issued here, Mr. Karunanidhi cited Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s meeting with former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda at the latter’s residence after a decade to discuss the Cauvery issue and similar political developments in the neighbouring State, and rued that such confabulations were not being held here.
“But what is the situation in Tamil Nadu? Soon after the order of the Supreme Court (directing Karnataka to release 6,000 cusesc water to Tamil Nadu), I had issued a statement welcoming it and all opposition parties have welcomed it. But what are those in the government, especially Chief Minister Jayalalithaa doing? Don’t the people need to know whether the Tamil Nadu government is satisfied with the apex court order?” the DMK patriarch questioned.
Mr. Karunanidhi also criticised the State government for not calling for an all-party meeting or a meeting of the Council of Ministers to discuss the developments. Referring to the special sitting of Karnataka State Assembly on September 24, he asked, “Should not a special sitting of the Assembly be convened in Tamil Nadu at the same time? Shouldn’t there be a discussion on the further course of action?”
Meanwhile, talking to the reporters on Thursday, Mr. Stalin said even though the 6,000 cusecs of water from Cauvery was not sufficient for farmers in Tamil Nadu, various farmer associations and political parties had welcomed the order of the Supreme Court. But Ms. Jayalalithaa had failed to convene an all-party meeting over the issue. She hadn’t taken steps to meet the Prime Minister over the issue too.
Pitching for an all-party meeting, TNCC presdient Su Thirunavukkarasar told journalists, “The Tamil Nadu government should pressure the Central government to implement the Supreme Court’s order. It did not matter who was in power in Karnataka; it was just a matter of obeying the Supreme Court’s order.”
Puthiya Tamilagam founder K. Krishnasamy also urged the State government to call for an all-party meeting to resolve the dispute.
