Cauvery dispute: DMK hits out at Centre, says it is not concerned about people of Tamil Nadu

Chennai: The DMK on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led the Central government on the Cauvery issue saying it was not concerned about the people and the farmers of Tamil Nadu. Recalling a Supreme Court verdict of 2014 that banned the bull-taming sport ‘jallikattu’, DMK Working President MK Stalin said despite opposition to the ban and the state-wide agitations, the Centre had not allowed the sport subsequently citing the judgement. [caption id=“attachment_4441709” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] DMK Working President MK Stalin during the mega rally over Cauvery dispute. PTI[/caption] “When the Supreme Court gave its order on the Cauvery issue directing compliance within six weeks, the Centre did not come forward to implement it,” he said, addressing party workers at the wedding of a party functionary. “This goes to show that the incumbent regime at the Centre is not concerned about the Tamil Nadu’s people and the farmers. And there is a government here in the state which is singing paeans to the centre,” he alleged. The Cauvery water is crucial not only for the delta region including Thanjavur but also to other districts, he said. During the previous DMK regime (2006-11), he said, his party’s government had implemented the combined drinking water projects across the districts of Ramanathapuram, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri utilising the Cauvery water. “Not only for the agriculture in delta region, the Cauvery water is crucial for drinking water needs of the people in several other districts,” he said. Since the Cauvery has such an importance for Tamil Nadu, the protests were being held to retrieve the state’s rights, he said. Stating that he will be leading a human chain stir on Monday at Pudukottai on the Cauvery issue, he said across Tamil Nadu, the Congress party, the Dravidar Kazhagam, the CPM, the CPI, the MDMK, the IUML, the VCK, and the MMK will participate in the agitation. It may be recalled that the Supreme Court had banned ‘jallikattu’ in 2014. The top court had held ‘jallikattu’ as violative of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, a Central Act. The top court had ruled that a 2009 Tamil Nadu Act to regulate Jallikattu was repugnant to the PCA Act. Following the raging protests seeking nod for holding the bull-taming sport, Tamil Nadu government in January 2017 amended the Central Act paving the way for holding the sport.