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DMK-led opposition parties in Tamil Nadu today called for a state-wide shutdown on April 5 seeking constitution of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) by the Centre.
DMK Working President M K Stalin, after a meeting with friendly opposition parties here, sought the support of all sections of society, including farmers and traders, for the bandh.
Tamil Nadu Congress president Su Thirunavukkarasar, VCK chief Thirumavalavan, state secretaries of the CPI (M) and the CPI K Balakrishnan and R Mutharasan, respectively, were among the leaders who took part in the meeting.
Series of protests
A “Cauvery Rights Retrieval Yatra,” will be held following the bandh, the DMK leader said. The rally would see participation of all friendly party leaders, Stalin said, adding that it will begin from the Cauvery Delta region. The details of the “long journey,” to secure the state’s rights in the Cauvery issue will be announced later following consultations with leaders of friendly parties, he said.
Black flags will be shown to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet colleagues during their Tamil Nadu visit. This will be done to condemn them for not setting up the CMB, despite the order of the Supreme Court, the DMK leader said. Days ago, Stalin had said that during the proposed visit of Modi to Tamil Nadu on April 15, black flags will be shown to the prime minister.
Tamil Nadu has been pushed to hold protest demonstrations and agitations seeking to implement the order of the top court on the Cauvery issue due to the “collective negligence of the central and state governments”, a resolution adopted at the meeting said.
The opposition parties and other parties staged a protest in Chennai in Valluvar Kottam. Donning a green shawl as a mark of solidarity with farmers, Stalin told the gathering that several protests have been planned till the Cauvery Management Board was constituted. “Our protest will continue till the Cauvery Management Board is constituted. On behalf of all (friendly) parties we have planned to continue with our protest,” he said, adding that he will not reveal the venue or date of protests now.
The protest, which was attended by a considerably large number of people, led to traffic congestion in the area for some time as the authorities were not informed about it beforehand. "Don't change the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu into a region of stones. Implement the order of Supreme Court,” was among the slogans raised in the demonstration. Thanjavur is called the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu.
The leaders, including Stalin, were removed from the spot by the police and lodged at a nearby hall for sometime before being released.Opposing their removal from the protest spot, cadre of DMK and other parties sat on the road at Valluvar Kottam junction for some time in protest, causing traffic congestion. The DMK’s Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi staged a demonstration at Tirunelveli over the Cauvery issue and opposing detaining Stalin for his protest.
Meanwhile, following a flash protest at the Marina beach here yesterday over the Cauvery issue, security was stepped up in the locality and entry to the area was under tight regulations. Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar told reporters that protests could be held in designated areas, but Marina beach was barred for holding agitations by the court.
Joint Police Commissioner (East), Anbu said police personnel, led by five deputy commissioners, have been deployed in Marina beach area to avert flash protests. He appealed to the people to seek proper permission and hold protest only in "notified areas".
Condemnation
Condemning the state and the Centre, the resolution said that the AIADMK regime, a “partner,” of the central government has “bowed” before it.
Both the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government had yesterday moved the Supreme Court on the issue of constitution and composition of the Cauvery Water Management Board in compliance with the February 16 verdict of the apex court on the vexed issue.
In its February verdict, the top court had raised the 270 tmcft share of Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery river water. It had granted six weeks to the Centre to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance of its 465-page judgement, which modified the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal Award. The six-week period ended on March 29.
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