Members of Tamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam on Saturday burnt the effigy of Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa at Kottur irked over his statement welcoming the decision of National Green Tribunal, Southern Region, not to form any committee to inspect the proposed Mekedatu Dam site in the neighbouring site.
The demonstrators, led by association general secretary P.R. Pandian, raised slogans condemning the Chief Minister and his government for initiating steps to ‘stifle the lifeline’ of Cauvery delta farmers in Tamil Nadu. Kottur police rushed to the spot and doused the fire.
Later, Mr. Pandian in a press release condemned Mr.Yediyurappa for his remarks that the dam project could not be stalled by anyone as the NGT had given its consent for it.
The Chief Minister’s statement belittled the meeting between the Prime Minister and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin held in New Delhi on July 17. Also, Mr.Yediyurappa was trying to drive a wedge in the smooth relationship between the two States and acting against the unity of the nation, he said.
The remarks were all set to disturb the harmony between the people of the two States and the Supreme Court should take a serious note of the issue and initiate legal proceedings against Mr. Yediyurappa.
Urging the Prime Minister’s Office to find out at whose instance Mr.Yediyurappa made the statement immediately after the meeting of the Prime Minister with Mr. Stalin, he called upon the Tamil Nadu government to approach the Supreme Court seeking ban on the Mekedatu dam project.
Mr. Pandian also called upon Cauvery Water Management Authority to prevent the implementation of the project, failing which the Sangam would file a case against the Authority in the apex court and also seek to stall the project.
