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An unusual bonhomie was witnessed in Rajya Sabha today when members of rival Tamil Nadu parties AIADMK and DMK got together to oppose MPs from Karnataka while seeking government’s intervention in stopping construction of dams in the Cauvery river basin.
Raising the issue of construction of a reservoir by Karnataka in the Cauvery river basin during Zero Hour, S Muthukuruppam (AIADMK) urged the central government and the Ministry of Environment and Forests not to grant clearance to any such project. The AIADMK member also demanded that Karnataka government should be told to maintain status quo on the issue and not go against the directions of the Supreme Court and the Cauvery Disputes Redressal Commission.
This prompted members from Karnataka including B K Hari Prasad (Cong) to rise and raise strong objections to the AIADMK member’s plea, leading to a verbal clash. The AIADMK member was joined by his party members as well as those of the rival DMK in putting up a strong protest against the objections raised by Karnataka members who were far outnumbered in the verbal spat. The uproar led the Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to intervene and ask the protesting members from Karnataka to give notice to put across their point of view.
Muthukuruppam then insisted that he be given some more time to complete his mention, but the Chair refused to allow him saying his three minutes were over and he was not allowed to read out in the House as per the rules.
While AIADMK members continued to plead with the Chair to grant more time to their member to completing his submission, DMK members Tiruchi Siva and Kanimozhi were seen vociferously opposing the Karnataka MPs, asking them to adhere to various directions. The heated exchanges between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka MPs continued for some time till other matters were taken up.
