After taking to streets, Opposition knocks on Raj Bhavan doors

CHENNAI: After staging spirited protests, including bandh, road and rail blockade, black flag waving and march, to condemn the Centre for delaying the formation of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB), Opposition leaders on Friday called on Governor Banwarilal Purohit seeking his intervention.

Led by DMK working president and Leader of Opposition M K Stalin, they urged the Governor to impress upon the Centre the need to form the board immediately to resolve the Cauvery imbroglio.
In a memorandum submitted on behalf of the Cauvery Rights Retrieval Committee, they requested Purohit to persuade the Centre to constitute the CMB without waiting till May 3, the deadline set by the Supreme Court.

“Since the State government is remaining dysfunctional, we have taken up the issue with the Governor, who serves as a representative of the Centre,” Stalin told reporters.

He said the Governor had promised to make efforts to get an audience for the opposition parties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the Cauvery issue. “The Governor promised to convey our sentiments to the PM and get an audience with him when we requested him to do so,” Stalin said.

On Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami handing over a memorandum to the Prime Minister, Stalin said, “The CM should have given the PM copies of the resolutions passed at an all-party meeting convened by the State government and in the Assembly.” He added Palaniswami had given the memorandum to Prime Minister at the airport, just like submitting petitions to leaders moving about on the road.

Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president S Thirunavukkarasar, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan were part of the delegation.