The Hindu : Dangerous to politicise ryot-related issues: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 29, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Dangerous to politicise ryot-related issues: Minister

By Our Staff Reporter

Udhagamandalam Dec. 28. ``The Cauvery tangle should not be politicised,'' the Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Hukumdeo Narayan Yadav, told a press conference here today.

It was dangerous to politicise farmer-related issues. The Cauvery dispute, similar to other issues involving rivers, was a national problem. While the Union Government wanted to solve the problems of farmers all over the country, there was a clash of interests in some places.

As Union Minister he respected the stand of all States concerned in the Cauvery issue and gave due importance to the leaders of all political parties and farmers' outfits.

Mr. Yadav emphasised the need for conserving rainwater. The Government was promoting the concept of ``less water, more production.'' The Ministry's thrust was on ``productivity, quality and purity.''

Under the Integrated Cooperative Development Project, efforts were on to strengthen the cooperative system at the village level.

To a query, the Minister said that export of rice and wheat to the Middle East was on the rise.

Asked about the recent observations by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), J.M. Lyngdoh, about politicians, Mr. Yadav said the CEC should not cross his limits. If the CEC thought that he was greater than all, he was wrong because in politics there were people greater than him. However, in a polluted atmosphere in all spheres, there were some shortcomings among politicians also.

Mr. Yadav said he would take up the problems of tea growers here with the Prime Minister and other Ministers concerned.

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