CHENNAI
PMK founder S. Ramadoss on Thursday said that Centre’s betrayal in forming the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee within six weeks, a deadline that ended on Thursday, will not be pardoned by the people of Tamil Nadu.
“With the time-period prescribed by Supreme Court to implement the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal ending today, the Centre has filed an appeal seeking clarification in Supreme Court’s verdict. This is an example of highest forms of betrayal,” said Dr. Ramadoss. He questioned why the Centre took so long to seek clarification. “It kept quiet for 6 weeks and it decided to go to the Supreme Court now,” he said.
Dr. Ramadoss said the decision has been taken with the elections in Karnataka in mind. “They are refusing to form the CMB with the hope of profiting from the elections. At the same time, they don’t want to be pulled up by the Supreme Court. They don’t have any doubt between ‘authority’ and ‘scheme.’ These are just delaying tactics,” he said.
Underlining that the people of Tamil Nadu will neither forget nor forgive the State and the Central governments, he said, “They must ensure that the Cauvery Management Board is formed as per the Supreme Court’s verdict.”
PMK youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss said the PMK will consult farmers associations to decide on the next plan of action to protect their river water rights.
Leaders of various political parties have also expressed their opposition to the Centre for not complying with the Supreme Court’s direction.
DMDK leader Vijayakant charged that the Central government’s inaction was tantamount to betraying Tamil Nadu and its people. The Supreme Court judgment was a result of the struggle that went on for over 25 years and the expectation among the people was high, he said in a statement. He wondered whether the impending Assembly polls in Karnataka had influenced the Centre’s decision not to constitute the CMB.
“The ruling party in the State should take a strong decision and take steps for constituting the CMB,” Mr. Vijayakant said and added that if they did not, the people “are thinking of boycotting both the governments.”
Tamil Maanila Congress leader G.K. Vasan in a statement condemned the Narendra Modi government and the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (Congress) for arguing against the CMB.
Not adhering to the Supreme Court’s direction did not augur well for democracy, he said and added that Mr. Siddaramaiah’s plea against constituting the CMB was like adding insult to injury.
Actor Rajinikanth tweeted that the constitution of the CMB as per the judgment of the Supreme Court would be the only acceptable and justifiable solution.
“I sincerely hope justice will prevail,” he added.
‘Resignation no solution’
Talking to reporters at the Chennai airport, BJP leader and Union Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan said, “The BJP is firm that the CMB should be constituted. Our position is that it should certainly be set up. If my resignation would bring the CMB, I am ready to resign. [But] Resignation is not the solution.”
‘BJP alone can help’
Reacting to criticism being levelled against the Centre over the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board, Tamilisai Soundararajan, BJP State unit president, said that only the latter is capable of solving the Cauvery river water sharing issue.
“We are not cowards to hide. While the Opposition parties like the DMK, the Congress, the Left and the PMK had failed when they shared power at the Centre, only the BJP is capable of solving the Cauvery issue,” she said in a statement.
“The BJP believes in constructive politics. It is against leaders instigating people or staging drama by claiming to commit suicide for the Cauvery issue,” she added.
People should wait for some more time for the Centre to resolve the Cauvery issue which was decades old, she said.
