Seeks Prime Minister's intervention to change the situation
Accusing the Kerala government of creating a situation in which people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala had been instigated to fight against each other like people of two countries, DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Monday said unless contained and changed immediately, the situation would lead to permanent strain in ties, In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Raj Bhavan, Mr. Karunanidhi sought his intervention at the earliest to put an end to attacks on Tamils in Kerala.
He also wanted the Prime Minister to ensure the compliance of the Supreme Court order in 2006, directing the Kerala government to increase the water level in Mullaperiyar dam from 136 feet to 142 feet.
Mr. Karunanidhi said the Mullaperiyar issue was before the Supreme Court, and any effort by the Government of Kerala to reduce the water level and attempt to construct a new dam had to be viewed as a bid to subvert the judicial process and to deny justice to the people of Tamil Nadu.
Expressing concern over the developments in both the States, he said this would cause irreparable damage to the cordial relationship between the people of two States.
Recalling the Supreme Court verdict that the Mullaiperiyar dam was strong and Kerala's Advocate General's argument that if the dam was affected the water could be stored in Idukki, the Seruthoni and Kulamavu dams, Mr. Karunanidhi said the continued campaign against the safety of the dam by the Kerala government had resulted in many undesirable incidents.
“Attack on the pilgrims from Tamil Nadu visiting the Sabarimalai temple and workers from Tamil Nadu employed in the estates situated along the inter-State border, harming Tamil students in Kerala, damaging the properties of Tamils living in Kerala and forcing them to flee from Kerala are all incidents which have created ill-feelings in the minds of Tamil people,” he said.
He pointed out that a poor Tamil worker in Theni district had attempted self-immolation for the cause of the Mullaperiyar dam issue. “This is an indication of the sentimental outburst of the affected people of southern districts of Tamil Nadu.”
DMK general secretary K. Anbazhagan, Union Minister M.K. Alagiri, and party MPs Kanimozhi and T.R. Baalu accompanied Mr Karunanidhi.
Keywords: Mullaperiyar dam row, Tamil Nadu-Kerala ties, DMK, UPA-II, Manmohan Singh
It is highly injudicious on the part of PM's officials to have allowed PM to meet with Kanimozhi who is accused of fraud and corruption and who has been denied bail couple of times. I just wonder if they would have allowed Raja to have accompanied MK had he been out on bail as well? And for a senior and seasoned politician like MK to have allowed this to happen only shows that the intention of the visit was not the welfare of TN state but that of his dear daughter. And for The Hindu not to have written an opinion piece on this drama shows its lack of journalistic integrity!
Please Email the Editor