AIADMK Leader Criticizes Tamil Nadu Government Over Cauvery Water Dispute

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami criticised the TVK Government on Friday for approaching the Supreme Court belatedly to get Tamil Nadu's due share of Cauvery water from Karnataka. Leading a protest in Thanjavur on Friday against the TVK Government, the former Chief Minister said the Tamil Nadu Government ought to have demanded that Karnataka release the water in June itself. "Tamil Nadu could have approached the Supreme Court immediately. Now, they approached the Supreme Court belatedly," he added. Coming down against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's plan for talks with Karnataka over Cauvery water, Palaniswami recalled several rounds of talks held between the Chief Ministers of the two states, which did not result in any agreement. Claiming that the TVK Government's proposal for talks between the Chief Ministers of the two riparian states was a delaying tactic, Palaniswami questioned, "When Karnataka has not been obeying even the orders of Supreme Court, will the talks proposed be fruitful?" Blaming the TVK Government for failing to pressurise the Karnataka Government to implement the orders of the Cauvery Tribunal and Supreme Court, which were obtained after prolonged legal struggles, the former Chief Minister urged the Tamil Nadu Government to listen to the opposition parties and farmers on the issue. He berated the State Government for not calling an all party meeting even after its alliance partners, including the VCK and Communist parties, demanded it.