The Makkal Needhi Maiam would prepare the people for a “peaceful civil disobedience movement” if the Cauvery Management Board was not formed, party founder Kamal Haasan cautioned the Central government here on Wednesday.
Addressing a public meeting, the actor-politician described the Centre’s move to seek clarification on the term ‘scheme’ [in the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Cauvery water sharing dispute] as a “conspiracy and an alibi to buy time” at a time when a resolution to the vexed Cauvery dispute seemed to be around the corner.
The MNM, he said, was in favour of finding a solution to the dispute, adding that the Centre would have to face the “people's revolution” if it persisted with such an “untrustworthy approach” to the formation of the CMB.
“Just think of what it will lead to. We need not let things go that far. Come, let's talk,” Mr. Haasan said.
The State government could bring about a solution if it wanted to, but it was hiding behind the Centre and had pushed the people of the State to a situation of begging, he said.
The State government should either do what legal luminaries and water experts advocate or step aside, he said.
Twin-pronged approach
Having analysed the problem in consultation with the stakeholders, the MNM would work towards a twin-pronged approach on the issue. On the one hand, the party would take steps to obtain the State's justifiable share of water from Karnataka and other States, and on the other, it would work on creating a comprehensive system for harnessing rainwater.
Since the Cauvery river was the lifeline of Tamil Nadu, the failure to form the CMB would be disastrous to the entire State, Mr. Haasan said.
