THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The stance of the Union Government on the Mullaperiyar issue is unilateral and partisan on many counts resulting in bypassing the genuine demands of Kerala, former Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran has said.
In a statement here on Tuesday, he charged the State Government of ineptitude on the issue and the state facing neglect despite the presence of six ministers from the state in the Union Cabinet.
Premachandran pointed out that the controversial statement of Union Minister Aswini Kumar that the dam was safe has come at a time when the safety of the dam is being probed by the Supreme Court appointed empowered committee and the court is yet to pronounce its verdict. The statement is not only a challenge to the Supreme Court and the rule of law, but a blatant and concerted attempt to help Tamil Nadu, he charged.
The Kerala Government should come forward against the statements including that of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and also register its strong protest against the installation of a seismographic device in the Mullaperiyar dam without the knowledge of the state as well as the demand for adding Idukki district with Tamil Nadu, he demanded.
The stance of Kerala resulting in the state becoming more and more defensive on the issue will weaken the cause of the state, Premachandran said.