DMK leaders, led by Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly M.K. Stalin, called on Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam and Public Works Department Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami in the Secretariat on Friday and urged them to call for an all-party meeting and a special sitting of the Assembly to discuss the Cauvery issue.
Mr. Stalin, who handed over a copy of the >resolutions passed at a meeting with various farmers' organisations on Thursday over the issue, urged the government to arrange for a meeting of leaders of all parties and representatives of various farmers’ associations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to impress upon him need to protect the livelihood of the State farmers.
Mr. Stalin told reporters after the meeting, “Approaching the dispute through legal channels is different. Like Karnataka, where all parties speak in one voice on the Cauvery issue, we too should come together in an all-party meeting.”
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When asked whether the DMK felt the government machinery was functioning properly, he said the agenda for the meeting with the two Ministers was only about the Cauvery issue.
Mr. Stalin said a copy of the resolutions passed by the farmer associations would also be sent to Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao.
DMK’s Deputy Floor Leader Duraimurugan, former Minister K. Ponmudi, former Chennai Corporation Mayor M. Subramanian and P.K. Sekar Babu were present with the Ministers.
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