The Mullaperiyar Pathukappu Iyakkam, a confederation of the MDMK, Dalit Liberation Front and a few other organisations, has demanded that Idukki district should be merged with Tamil Nadu and further asked the Centre to dismiss the Kerala Government for its wrong stance on the Mullaperiyar Dam issue.
To press these, among other demands, the Iyakkam had called for a shut-down in Vellakoil and Muthur areas on Tuesday which evoked good response from traders, cinema hall owners and tea stalls.
S. Karuppaiah, joint general secretary of Dalit Libertation Front and member of Mullaperiyar Pathukappu Iyakkam, told reporters that since Idukki district, in which Mullaperiyar Dam is situated, had a large Tamil population, it needed to be merged with Tamil Nadu.
“We have asked the Tamil Nadu government to pursue this demand,” he said.
The Iyakkam had also passed a resolution condemning the Kerala government's move to construct a new dam in place of the existing one situated at the confluence of Mullayar and Periyar rivers. Mr. Karuppaiah opined that the Kerala government should obey the Supreme Court verdict on the Mullaperiyar issue so as to ensure continuation of the harmonious relationship existed between the people of both states.
On Monday, journalists affiliated to Tamil Nadu Pathrikayalar Sangham staged demonstration to protest the Kerala Government stance on Mullaperiyar issue.
