In a rare display of political unity, parliamentarians from Tamil Nadu, cutting across party lines, including arch-rivals DMK and AIADMK, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday on the Mekedatu dam row.
An all-party delegation of 55 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, led by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai, explained to the Prime Minister the long struggle in securing the rights of the State on the Cauvery river dispute and handed him a copy of the resolution unanimously passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday. The lone BJP MP and Union Minister, Pon. Radhakrishnan, who was in Chennai, was not part of the delegation. D. Raja (CPI) who is attending his party conclave in Puducherry and E.M. Sudarsana Nachiappan (Congress), who is abroad, also did not join the group.
They urged Mr. Modi to immediately set up the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulatory Authority and take steps needed to stop Karnataka from constructing dams at Mekedatu.
ADVERTISEMENT
The delegation included 48 AIADMK MPs, four DMK MPs, and one MP each from CPI(M), PMK and AINRC in Puducherry, an official release said.
According to AIADMK MPs, the meeting lasted about 20 minutes. Initially, Mr. Thambidurai made a presentation to the Prime Minister, who after keenly listening to them, told the delegation that he understood their sentiments well and would look into the issue. Already, the ministry concerned had been advised to gather details on the Mekedatu issue.
He assured the MPs to consider it in detail.
ADVERTISEMENT
While a few AIADMK MPs claimed that the MPs from other parties joined the delegation on their own, as they feared that the people would otherwise reject them, DMK MPs said they joined the group at Mr. Thambidurai’s invitation.
“It is for a common cause. When Thambidurai called us, we asked permission from our leaders Kalaignar [Karunanidhi] and Thalapathi [Stalin]. They magnanimously allowed us to be part of the delegation,” said Tiruchi N. Siva (DMK).
The Opposition has been asking Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam to lead an all-party delegation to meet the Prime Minister. “Since the AIADMK asked us to join now, we went to show solidarity,” he said emphasising that the Prime Minister sounded positive.
Apart from Mr. Thambidurai and Mr. Siva, DMK’s Kanimozhi, T.K. Rangarajan of CPI(M) and Anbumani Ramadoss of PMK were among those spoke on behalf of the delegation.
“The Prime Minister gave us a patient hearing and said he would sort the issue out. This is the first time in a long while that all the Tamil Nadu parties have joined hands on an issue,” said Anbumani Ramadoss.
In his presentation, Mr. Anbumani said he pointed out that the issue was not just about Cauvery water but also law and order.
Mr. Anbumani said he insisted that the Centre immediately constitute the Cauvery Management Board, a promise made almost 10 months ago. The Board would take care of all issues relating to the Cauvery, he said.
“The Prime Minister gave us a patient hearing and said he would sort out the issue out”