Were AIADMK members feasting on biryani, alcohol during hunger strike for setup of Cauvery Management Board?

AIADMK members were out in the open on Tuesday staging a hunger strike to demand the formation of the Cauvery

The images procured by The News Minute , were shot in Vellore and Pudukottai, and appear to expose the “sincerity” with which the AIADMK has been fighting for the setting-up of the Cauvery Management Board. There is much anger against the ruling party’s reluctance to take on the Centre’s delay in setting up the Board and several have pointed out that the strike was a mere eyewash.

The protest was launched in Chennai by Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswamy and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam. It began at around 8 am and concluded at 5 pm (excluding the ’lunch-break’). Reportedly, the entire AIADMK cabinet also took part in the strike, while other leaders drove the protest in various districts of Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, DMK-led Opposition parties have also called for a state-wide shutdown on 5 April, seeking the Centre’s intervention to form the board.

The Cauvery water dispute has been a matter of conflict between the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala since 1881.  In 1990, the Centre formed the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) to help solve the dispute. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had pronounced its verdict on 16 February stating that of the total 740 tmcft; Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry would be annually entitled to 404.25 tmcft, 284.75 tmcft, 30 tmcft and 7 tmcft of Cauvery water respectively. The Central government has submitted a plea before the apex court seeking clarification on its verdict.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear the Centre’s plea and the next date of hearing in the case has been set for 9 April.