The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Friday charged the Centre and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government with being “lethargic” in solving the Koodankulam nuclear plant row and raised the pitch on Mullaperiyar dam issue demanding that Kerala restore the area, where the reservoir is located, to Tamil Nadu.
The DMK General Council, its top decision-making body, met in Chennai against the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict on the 2G spectrum scam where the court had pointedly blamed former Telecom Minister A. Raja, a senior leader from the party.
The meeting noted there was no headway between a Central Expert Committee and the protesters over the Koodankulam nuclear power project which is stalled over safety concerns of locals.
“The Jayalalithaa government not taking any action in this matter gives rise to an impression that there is some intention on its part... therefore, keeping in mind national interests, the Central and State governments should act to find an early solution,” the council, presided over by party chief M. Karunanidhi, said.
The council also asked the Centre to act fast on the Mullaperiyar dam row and against attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan navy.
The DMK, a key ally of the United Progressive Alliance, warned of an agitation if the Centre failed to act on the fishermen issue.
Referring to a recent statement by Mr. Karunanidhi where he had voiced the DMK’s demand for retrieving Devikulam and Peermedu taluks from Kerala to solve the vexed Mullaperiyar issue, the General Council termed the proposal as a solution that would be ‘just’ with ‘long-term vision.’
“The Centre should implement this with the help of the state government and find a lasting solution to the issue and thus uphold the nation’s unity and federal structure,” it said.
Charging the Jayalalithaa government with foisting cases against its members, the DMK warned of continued agitation against it even as it likened “police excesses,” with that of the Emergency era.
The cases were filed with ‘vengeful motive,’ it said.
The party also said the AIADMK government should stop holding “closing ceremonies” to DMK-initiated projects such as the New Assembly Complex and the Anna Centenary library, and focus their energy towards people welfare measures.
Attended by senior leaders including Mr. Karunanidhi’s children, M.K. Alagiri, M.K. Stalin and Kanimozhi besides grand-nephew Dayanidhi Maran and others, the party also demanded rollback of recent hike in bus fares and milk prices and voiced its opposition to any increase in power tariff.
While seeking reinstatement of 13,000-odd Makkal Nala Paniyalargal appointed during the previous DMK regime and dismissed by the AIADMK government, the party also demanded cancellation of appointment of former DGP R. Nataraj as chairman of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission.
It said he had been pulled up by the Election Commission during the 2006 Assembly polls when he was Police Commissioner of Chennai.
