The Hindu : New Delhi News : Karnataka MPs meet Manmohan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Karnataka MPs meet Manmohan

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Cutting across party lines, a delegation of Members of Parliament belonging to Karnataka called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday and lodged a protest against the Tamil Nadu Government’s move to set up a Rs.1,340-crore drinking water project at Hogenakkal using the Cauvery waters.

Noting that the Tamil Nadu Government had not made public details of the project even though the foundation stone had been laid, the MPs urged the Prime Minister to intervene and protect Karnataka’s interests.

Other demands

The all-party delegation also urged the Prime Minister to help hasten the process of declaring Kannada a classical language and bestow special status on the Hyderabad-Karnataka areas of the State, amending Article 371 of the Constitution.

In a memorandum presented to the Prime Minister, the MPs recalled that Karnataka had been urging for bestowing special status on the most backward region since 1998 and for declaring Kannada a classical language since 2004, and expressed dismay that there had been no progress on the issues.

The delegation included Union Minister M.V. Rajasekharan, former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ananth Kumar. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes.

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

New Delhi