AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Sunday criticised DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for not exerting pressure on Karnataka government towards releasing Cauvery water and further insisted the DMK government to call for an all-party meeting in this regard.
In a statement, Mr. Palaniswami contended that the DMK government should have reduced the quantum of water released from Mettur dam from June 12 and should have received Cauvery water due from Karnataka during June, July and August by “applying political pressure” on the neighbouring State.
If Mr. Stalin was truly worried about the farmers, he “could have been friendly” with DMK’s ally Congress ruling the neighbouring Karnataka and could have ensured release of water when there was sufficient storage in the dams there, Mr. Palaniswami contended.
“A condition could have been made by the DMK during the I.N.D.I.A. (alliance of opposition parties) meeting in Patna like Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party did (on the Delhi ordinance issue) that they would be part of the alliance only if the Congress government in Karnataka released Cauvery water,” Mr. Palaniswami contended.
The former CM said Mr. Stalin could have boycotted the I.N.D.I.A. meeting in Bengaluru over the withering of crops in TN for want of water in the Cauvery. “It is not acceptable to hide behind the Central government to fail the people of Tamil Nadu.”
Also Read: Explained | The Cauvery water conundrum
Mr. Palaniswami further urged Mr. Stalin to exert pressure on the Congress government in Karnataka “instead of taking sides with them to protect the business interests of his family members in Karnataka”.
Mr. Palaniswami also announced a protest on October 5 in Chengalpattu district over the public health menace in various parts of Tambaram Municipal Corporation and over the alleged decline in quality in the food items supplied to Amma canteens.
