Convene TN Assembly on Cauvery issue: All-party meet to state govt

An ‘all-party meeting’ called by DMK on the Cauvery issue on Tuesdayurged the Tamil Nadu government to immediately convene the state Assembly to discuss the matter, even as ruling AIADMK and BJP criticised the M K Stalin-led consultations.

The meeting, chaired by Stalin, the DMK Treasurer and Opposition Leader in the Assembly, was boycotted by AIADMK, BJP and all constituents of the four-party People’s Welfare Front, comprising MDMK, CPI(M), CPI and VCK.

Both AIADMK and BJP lampooned the DMK, saying today’s meeting was that of DMK and its allies and not an all-party meeting as made out by Stalin. DMK’s allies Congress and IUML, besides G K Vasan-led Tamil Maanila Congress(M) and certain farmer’s outfits participated in the meeting.

The meeting adopted a slew of resolutions and alleged that upper riparian state Karnataka was “making a mockery” of federal principles by not implementing the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal on water sharing.

The Central government, “which should advice Karnataka, was instead supporting it for political reasons,” it said in an apparent reference to the 2018 Assembly polls in that state. Such a stand was affecting the Tamil Nadu farmers, it said and urged the state government to convene a session of the Assembly to discuss the matter.

“To show that the Tamil people are united and have no differences (on the Cauvery issue) and to condemn Karnataka and the Centre for not showing the slightest respect to court orders, Tamil Nadu government should immediately convene a special session of the state Assembly,” it resolved.