T.N. won’t brook any delay on Cauvery authority: Stalin

‘SC had rejected Karnataka’s objection’

Opposition leader and DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Tuesday took strong exception to Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s suggestion that the constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Authority be discussed in Parliament. He warned that Tamil Nadu would not tolerate any further delay on the constitution of the Authority.

“Karnataka delayed nomination of its representatives to the Authority and now talks about a discussion in Parliament. It is highly condemnable,” Mr. Stalin said in a statement.

Mr. Kumaraswamy had said that “a couple of technical lacunae” in the Supreme Court order should be discussed in Parliament.

Mr. Stalin said the Supreme Court had ordered constitution of the Authority by June 1 only after sending the draft to the Karnataka government.

“It also accepted a few amendments suggested by the State. Moreover, all the arguments now being forwarded by Mr. Kumaraswamy was already placed before the Supreme Court and subsequently rejected by it. Even after 20 days, it has failed to nominate its representatives, and as usual, adopting dilatory tactics,” Mr. Stalin said. The DMK leader said the suggestions made by Mr. Kumaraswamy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were totally against his views and interviews on the Cauvery issue expressed immediately after assuming the office of the Chief Minister. Mr. Stalin also urged the Tamil Nadu government to approach the Supreme Court if Karnataka delayed nominating its representatives to the Authority.

Duraimurugan reacts

Meanwhile, DMK principal secretary Duraimurugan reacted strongly to Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s assertion that even a thousand Stalins could not cause any damage to the AIADMK, saying that the AIADMK government would be in Bay of Bengal if thousand Stalins were to present themselves. “The AIADMK trembles at the prospect of allowing even a single Stalin in the Assembly. If a thousand Stalins make their appearance, the AIADMK government would be in the Bay of Bengal. The AIADMK government does not need a thousand Stalins. A signal from his eyes would be enough to shake the government,” he said in a statement.