Tamil Nadu Opposition Parties Condemn Centre on Cauvery, Warn of Massive Stir

Chennai: Tamil Nadu opposition parties, including the DMK, on Thursday slammed the Centre for not filing a draft Cauvery management scheme in the Supreme Court.

The parties said protests would be staged if the state did not get its due share of water.

DMK working president M K Stalin said the Centre telling the apex court that the draft scheme could not be placed before the Union Cabinet was only a "lame excuse and a continuation of the betrayal," of Tamil Nadu by the central government.

The Centre had told the top court that Cabinet approval for the scheme could not be obtained since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet colleagues were busy in the Karnataka poll campaign.

"It appears that there is no other avenue but to go in for very massive protests if the Centre's brazen betrayal continues by seeking more time and avoiding setting up of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB)," Stalin said.

"Protests by harnessing people's power will continue till we establish the rights of Tamil Nadu in the Cauvery issue," he said.

The DMK leader, who is also the Leader of Opposition, wanted to know if cabinet approval cannot be obtained through e-mail or by using other communication technology.

He alleged that BJP was "betraying" Tamil people for "electoral mileage" in Karnataka and hit out at the state government for its handling of the issue.

Defending the goverment, state Fisheries minister D Jayakumar said the Centre's stand seeking more time to set up the CMB was not acceptable and the top court has been informed about it.

"It is the responsibility of the Centre to fulfil the Supreme Court order on Cauvery," he said.

Tamil Nadu cannot accept Centre delaying the issue, he said and added that the state's stand has been effectively put forth in the Supreme Court.

"It may be any government (Centre or States), the Supreme Court order is binding. How long can they delay (fulfilling court directive to set up the CMB or release of water)," he asked.

The minister said he hoped it would be a "good outcome," for Tamil Nadu on the issue.

Farmers leader P Ayyakannu said "only if water is released on June 12 (the traditional date for water release from Mettur dam for cultivation of Kuruvai crop), we will be able to take up Kuruvai crop."

Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to ensure water for Tamil Nadu farmers, he said farmers had no other go but to go in for protests if they do not get justice.

PMK chief S Ramadoss and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran also hit out at the Centre.

"Are those who hold the reins of power at the Centre not aware that poll campaign is not important than resolving the Cauvery issue?," Ramadoss asked.

Dhinakaran slammed the state government for adopting a "soft-approach," against the Centre's "delaying tactics."

Protests would continue against both the state and Central governments, he said.

The apex court on Thursday took strong note of the Centre for not yet framing the Cauvery management scheme to implement its verdict on river water sharing between four southern states, even as Tamil Nadu attacked the union government for its "partisan" attitude saying this was the "end of cooperative federalism."