CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Tuesday targeted the DMK over the Cauvery issue, saying that party was the root-cause of the problems of the Tamil Nadu farmers today over the Cauvery water-sharing. They also vowed to establish the State's rights to the river water.
Both leaders, State ministers, MPs, MLAs, functionaries and cadre observed a fast between 8 am and 5.30 pm at Chepauk, condemning the Centre for failing to form the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) as per the Supreme Court verdict and demanding the constitution of the board at the earliest.
"Those who have gathered here did not move from their seats from morning to evening. This shows our conviction over the issue. We will accomplish what we wish to achieve," Palaniswami said.
Tracing the origins of the Cauvery water dispute, Palaniswami charged that the root-cause of the Cauvery water dispute was the betrayal of the DMK regime headed by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi who had failed to renew the 1891 agreement on the Cauvery water sharing, which ended in 1974.
"Out of fear over the Sarkaria Commission, the then Chief Minister did not renew the agreement and thus betrayed the farmers of the State. This was the primary betrayal of the DMK on the Cauvery issue. The second betrayal was committed by the DMK in 2007 when that party ignored the advice of the late leader, J Jayalalithaa, to get the final award notified in the Union gazette," he recalled. Despite fact that the DMK was a constituent partner of the Congress-led government at the Centre, it was not done. The final award was notified on February 19, 2013, only due to the consistent legal steps taken by the late Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa.
The SC delivered its verdict on February 16 setting a six-week deadline for implementing it. However, the Centre has failed to do that. "So, condemning the Centre, we are today observing a fast. The verdict clearly said that except for the quantum of water allocated for Tamil Nadu, everything else in the final award should be given effect in toto," he said.
Palaniswami said the DMK was levelling a charge that the AIADMK did not exert sufficient pressure on the Centre over the Cauvery issue and hence they were forced to stage agitations. "People of the State know well that in what ways we have exerted pressure on the Centre. Parliament was stalled by the AIADMK MPs continuously for 19th day today. We have exerted political pressure as well as governmental pressure on the Centre over this issue," he added.
"The DMK said AIADMK MPs should resign en masse. But, if only the DMK had threatened to pull out of the UPA government in the past, the Centre would have budged and formed the CMB and CWRC," the CM noted.
He said that around 15 lakh AIADMK workers observed fast in all 32 districts on Tuesday to echo the feelings of the people of Tamil Nadu. "We will get justice definitely and win our rights over the Cauvery issue," he asserted.
Echoing the views of Palaniswami, Panneerselvam said the DMK and Congress had no moral right to raise the Cauvery issue because both parties had betrayed the people of Tamil Nadu on this issue. He also recalled the legal battle waged by Jayalalithaa for notifying the final award in the Union gazette. The DMK and other opposition parties were trying to gain political mileage out of the issue. After the all-party meeting held on Cauvery issue on February 22, it was agreed that any decision would be taken in consultation. However, Stalin had diverted the issue now to gain political mileage, he said.
Panneerselvam observed, "Our struggle will continue until the formation of the CMB and CWRC."
AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar and many party functionaries spoke on the occasion.