Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Ananth Kumar’s comments that the Centre had no proposal to create the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) to oversee the implementation of the Cauvery Tribunal’s final award, evoked strong condemnation from the Opposition in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
These parties, including the DMK, urged the AIADMK government to convene an all-party meeting soon to discuss the issue.
Mr. Kumar made the statement in Bangalore on Saturday, just days after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, at which she insisted on the creation of the CMB at the earliest.
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Pointing to the Minister’s comments, DMK president M. Karunanidhi, in a statement here, urged Ms. Jayalalithaa to call an all-party meeting.
“It is necessary that Ms. Jayalalithaa call for an all-party meeting on the establishment of the Cauvery Management Board, at a time when there are doubts over the kuruvai crop,” he said, pointing out that her Karnataka counterpart Siddaramaiah convened a meeting of all parties for June 10.
Anbumani Ramadoss, an MP of the PMK, an ally of the BJP, said the views of Mr. Kumar were “shocking.” Another Union Minister from Karnataka, Sadanand Gowda, made a similar statement, he said.
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Mr. Anbumani said that as per the Constitution, Union Ministers represented the entire country. “Keeping the welfare of Tamil Nadu farmers in mind, Mr. Kumar should lend his voice to the creation of the CMB,” he said. Mr. Modi’s government was indeed making efforts to resolve the issue.
CPI(M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan also sought an all-party meeting, whereas CPI leader D. Pandian condemned Mr. Kumar’s statement.