DMK calls bandh over Cauvery on April 5

Chennai: Resolving to wave black flags at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers during their Chennai visit later this month, Opposition parties led by the DMK on Sunday called for a statewide bandh on April 5 to demand constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Board in compliance with the February 16 verdict of the Supreme Court.

Just after giving a call for the bandh, which will be followed by the launch of a “Cauvery Rights Retrieval Yatra”, DMK working president M.K. Stalin arrived at Valluvar Kottam here and led a demonstration.

Donning a green shawl as a mark of solidarity with farmers, he told the gathering, “Our protest will continue till the Cauvery board is constituted. On behalf of all (friendly) parties, we have planned to continue with our protest.”

Meanwhile, the AIADMK announced that it would consider moving a no-trust motion in Parliament against the NDA government on the Cauvery issue if the Congress supports it.

“Stalin says the AIADMK should bring a no-trust motion (on Cauvery issue). We are ready to bring it,” AIADMK leader M. Thambidurai said, in a bid to shift the political onus on DMK on the matter.

After the meeting with friendly Opposition parties earlier in the day, Mr Stalin accused the Centre of “deceiving” Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery issue and charged that the AIADMK government has not taken appropriate action to secure the state’s rights.

He sought the support of all sections of society, including farmers and traders, for the bandh. TNCC chief Thirunavukkarasar, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi chief Thol Thirumavalavan, state secretaries of the CPI (M) and the CPI K. Balakrishnan and R. Mutharasan, respectively, were among the leaders who participated in the meeting.

Mr Stalin said that the protest rally on April 5 will begin from the Cauvery delta region and  details of the “long journey” will be announced after consulting leaders of other parties.

Tamil Nadu parties have been pushed to hold protest demonstrations for seeking implementation of the top court’s order on the Cauvery issue due to the “collective negligence of the Central and state governments”, a resolution adopted at the meeting said. The resolution, which condemned the state and the Centre, said the AIADMK regime, a “partner” of the Central government has “bowed” before it.

Both the governments had moved the Supreme Court on Saturday on the issue of constitution and composition of the water board.

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 with its 465-page judgment, which modified the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal Award. The six-week period ended on March 29.