Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted with slogans of 'Modi go back' and a sea of black flags when he arrived at Tamil Nadu capital Chennai to formally inaugurate DefExpo 2018. There were protests all across Tamil Nadu against the logjam on the issue of setting up the Cauvery Management Board.
Later in the day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami urged the Centre to set up the Cauvery Management Board so as to ease farmers' troubles before the start of the next irrigation season in June.
All throughout the day, the issue took the centre stage in Tamil Nadu with actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan shooting a letter to PM Narendra Modi asking him to fulfil his ''constitutional duty'' by setting up the CMB.
In the past couple of weeks, the southern state has heated up as no concrete plan for the formation of the CMB has emerged. Indian Premier League (IPL 2018) matches were shifted from Chennai on Wednesday as a pro-Tamil Nadu group created nuisance at the Chepauk during a match between the Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.
As the prime minister landed at IIT Madras, students received him with a silent protest against the Centre's inaction regarding the formation of the board.
However, the protests took an ugly turn when a man from the Erode district of Tamil Nadu attempted self-immolation. He is reported to have suffered 90 per cent burns.
Being the orator he is, PM Modi pleasantly surprised the gathering at the DefExpo when he quoted Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar extempore.
Here are the top 10 developments in the Cauvery Management Board issue:
1. Tamil Nadu urges Centre to immediately constitute Cauvery Management Board
The Tamil Nadu government today urged the Centre to immediately set up the Cauvery Management Board to enable ryots from the state take up farming in the next irrigation season starting on June 1 this year.
Chief Minister K Palaniswami presented a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the state today, even as widespread protests greeted Modi over the Cauvery issue.
2. Modi greeted with chants of 'Go back', black flags
Pro-Tamil outfits protesting over the Cauvery issue on Thursday showed black flags to Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he arrived to formally inaugurate India's mega defence exhibition, Defexpo, at Thiruvidanthai, about 40 km from Chennai.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) floated a black balloon with the slogan 'Modi Go Back' ' as a sign of their protest against Modi Government for not constituting the Cauvery Management Board (CMB).
3. Modi faces silent protest at IIT Madras
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today faced a silent protest by some 30 students dressed in black and carrying posters when he visited the IIT Madras. Student protesters stood silently but held posters demanding a Cauvery Management Board as ordered by the Supreme Court -- an issue which has whipped up emotions in Tamil Nadu.
4. PM Modi quotes Tamil saint-poet extempore, draws applause
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar as a legend and quoted his couplet which said greater learning brings more wisdom. "In sand and soil the deep you delve you reach the spring below. The more you learn the freer streams of wisdom flow," he said.
5. Prove sceptics wrong on Cauvery Management Board issue, Haasan tells PM Modi
Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately set up the Cauvery Management Board, saying it was his duty to prove wrong the notion that it was being delayed due to the assembly polls in Karnataka.
Setting up the CMB was also the Centre's constitutional duty, he said.
"You must be aware of the agitations that have gripped Tamil Nadu due to the injustice meted out," the actor-turned-politician said in a letter to Modi, a copy of which was released to the media here.
People were dismayed by the delay in setting up the CMB, Haasan said and added that they were holding protests "to get justice".
6. AMMK chief flays centre, state govt over Cauvery row
Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader T T V Dhinakaran today flayed the central and state governments for their alleged inaction over the Cauvery issue. The R K Nagar MLA hit out at chief minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and alleged that they had betrayed people of Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery issue.
7. Man sets himself afire to protest 'inaction' on Cauvery issue
A 25-year-old man set himself ablaze today, allegedly over the Central and state governments' "inaction" on the Cauvery issue, police said. Dharmalingam has sustained 90 per cent burn injuries and he has been admitted to the Erode Government Hospital, where his condition is critical, police and doctors said.
8. IPL matches shifted to Pune
In the wake of the ongoing Cauvery water dispute in Chennai, the remaining Indian Premier League (IPL) matches of Chennai Super Kings have been shifted to the Maharashtra Cricket Association's (MCA) Stadium in Pune.
9. Harbhajan Singh 'heartbroken' over shifting of IPL matches from Chennai
Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who was bought for Rs 2 crore by CSK at the IPL Player Auction, said that he hopes the situation gets resolved soon and matches come back to Chennai as the fans have waited for two long years to see the team play in front of them.
10. Rajinikanth denounces violence during anti-IPL stir
Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth on Wednesday demanded strict action against those who thrashed policemen during the anti-IPL protests, saying that violence was no solution to the Cauvery row.
The superstar took to Twitter to share a video of a protestor hitting a police personnel and said, "The worst form of violence in law and order situation is attack on uniformed personnel on duty. This form of violence has to be tackled immediately as it poses grave danger to our country."