State govt. did not exert pressure on Centre to form CMB: Kanimozhi

The Tamil Nadu Government, which allowed the Centre to go ahead with “anti-Tamil projects” in the State, now failed in its prime duty of exerting pressure on the Union government to ensure the formation of Cauvery Management Board (CMB), Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi has said.

In a chat with reporters here on Saturday, Ms. Kanimozhi, who was here to participate in a public meeting organised by the DMK in Tenkasi, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, despite repeated appeals from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and MPs, had refused to meet them to discuss the issue of CMB as he was more concerned about poll-bound Karnataka.

Keeping a favourable outcome in the Karnataka Assembly election in mind, the Union government was delaying the formation of CMB. Even though the recent Parliament sessions could not be conducted owing to protests by the AIADMK MPs, no effort was taken to pacify the protesters so as to ensure the smooth conduct of Parliament and subsequent meaningful discussion on this issue. The protest by AIADMK MPs, in fact, denied the opportunity for other members to initiate a meaningful debate on the CMB.

She said the State government should order the closure of Sterlite Industries’ unit in Thoothukudi and withdraw permission for expansion of its copper smelter unit.