PMK founder S Ramadoss today demanded that Chief Minister O Panneerselvam lead a delegation of all-party leaders to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi against Karnataka's move to construct check dam across river Cauvery at Mekadatu.
The BJP ally also slammed the presence of Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and Commerce Minister Nirmala Seetharaman at a meeting of Karnataka MPs and Ministers, where, Ramadoss claimed, the issue was discussed.
Despite protests held by farmers in the Cauvery delta districts in Tamil Nadu and in New Delhi, the state government had not yet exerted adequate political pressure on the Centre even as ruling Congress and BJP in Karnataka were united in this issue, he said in a statement here.
A meeting of Karnataka MPs and Ministers was held at the residence of Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ananta Kumar at New Delhi, which was also attended by his cabinet colleague Sadananda Gowda and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Ramadoss claimed, adding they decided to approach Modi on the dam issue while also discussing about obtaining environmental clearance for the project.
While the meeting was billed as a discussion between Ministers and betel nut cooperatives,Javadekar and Seetharaman had participated in it "either aware of the agenda or not," he said.
He wondered if it was fair on Javadekar's part to participate in the meeting even as Karnataka was awaiting environmental clearance for the dam as he questioned Law Minister Gowda's presence as Tamil Nadu was mulling moving the Supreme Court, protesting against the upper riparian state's decision.
"Isn't it a betrayal by Nirmala Seetharaman, who is being touted as (BJP's) Chief Minister candidate (for next Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu due 2016) to attend the meeting," he said.
He alleged that Kumar, Javadekar and Gowda were "working against a state of unified India," in violation of their oath and urged Modi to remove them from the cabinet.
"While Karnataka is keen on constructing the new dam across Cauvery, Tamil Nadu government should not remain a mere spectator and exert adequate political pressure. The Chief Minister should take steps to convene all-party meeting and take leaders participating in it to meet Prime Minister Modi and take up the issue," he said.
CORRECTION
Nirmala Sitharaman, minister of state for commerce and industry, has clarified that the meeting held on December 16 at the residence of Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar in New Delhi discussed only the problems being faced by areca nut farmers from Karnataka and Goa. There was no discussion on the Cauvery dam issue, as wrongly suggested in a Press Trust of India report, published in Business Standard on December 18 (CM should lead all party delegation to meet PM on Karnataka plan). The error is regretted.
