‘Take public mood on CMB into account’

DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Friday said while his party was not against conducting the IPL cricket matches in Chennai, the organisers should act taking into consideration the sentiments of people against the backdrop of protests seeking constitution of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB).

He was replying to a question on whether the IPL matches would divert the attention from the demand for constituting the Cauvery Management Board.

“I only request the organisers to take into account the sentiments of the people,” he told reporters after an all-party meeting at the DMK headquarters Anna Arivalayam here.

Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani has also demanded that the IPL matches be postponed until the Cauvery issue was resolved.

Hub of protests

In a statement, he said that Tamil Nadu has become a hub of protests because of the Centre’s failure to form the Cauvery Management Board. “The State government is just enacting a ‘drama’. It has failed to safeguard the State’s interests,” Mr. Veeramani said.

Minister’s stand

Responding to calls for the postponement of IPL matches, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said the tournament was not conducted by the State government.

“The Board [BCCI] would decide on conducting the matches after realising the situation prevailing here,” he added.