The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Karunanidhi denies charge on dam issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 22, 2006
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Karunanidhi denies charge on dam issue

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday said the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Government and the electoral alliance led by the party were firm on safeguarding the interests of the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, protecting the rights of the farmers of Tamil Nadu and respecting the Supreme Court direction on the Mullaperiyar issue.

Replying to the charges levelled by All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam secretary Jayalalithaa, he said in a statement here that his Government convened an all-party meeting in Chennai on October 23 to ensure that all parties stood united on Cauvery and Mullaperiyar issues.

The meeting decided to hold talks with the Kerala Government as a goodwill gesture, as directed by the Supreme Court. If these did not bear fruit, the State could move the apex court again and seek permission to raise the water level in the dam from 136 feet to 142 feet as per its February 27 order.

"Insinuations" flayed

Recalling that two AIADMK representatives attended the meeting, Mr. Karunanidhi said they neither opposed the resolution nor staged a walkout. Having waited all these days, Ms. Jayalalithaa had suddenly woken up to shower insinuations on him and the Centre, besides criticising the Communist parties through passing remarks in her statement.

On Ms. Jayalalithaa's charge that the DMK Government was not firm on implementing the Supreme Court order, the Chief Minister said the direction to raise the water level from 136 feet to 142 feet was given on February 27. The Kerala Government passed an amendment Bill in the Assembly to nullify the court order on March 15. Ms. Jayalalithaa was in power then. The DMK came to power only after two months.

"We can also raise questions such as why Ms. Jayalalithaa had not resorted to any action though she was in power for two months after the Supreme Court gave its order and the Kerala Government passed the amendment Bill. Why was she complacent then? Was she not aware of the problems faced by the farmers then?"

Having remained silent then, she was issuing a statement now. "Does it not amount to indulging in a meaningless debate?"

He appealed to the Leader of the Opposition to give up her "policy of opposing everything" and come forward to carry out the resolution adopted by the all-party meeting to which the AIADMK was also a party.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu