Parties slam Centre for delaying Cauvery scheme

Centre being vindictive against State, says CPI(M)

DMK working president M.K. Stalin on Tuesday charged that the Tamil Nadu government headed by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has avoided exerting pressure on the Centre, which he alleged had failed to constitute the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) for electoral gains in Karnataka, to ensure its own survival.

In a statement, he said the extra time granted by the Supreme Court to the Centre to file a draft on the CMB would make people of Tamil Nadu unhappy.

“The Supreme Court has a duty to ensure that the CMB is constituted on May 14,” he said.

The CPI(M) and Tamil Maanila Congress have also slammed the Centre for seeking time on the CMB.

“The Centre is continuously being vindictive against Tamil Nadu, especially over the formation of the CMB. The Centre has been adamant about not forming the board since 2016,” K. Balakrishnan, State General Secretary, CPI(M), said in a statement.

Mr. Balakrishnan said the Centre’s reluctance to form the CMB in view of the Karnataka Assembly elections was against the federal spirit of the country. “Has the Central government failed to exist just because it wants to face the Karnataka polls?” Mr. Balakrishnan asked.

‘People feel cheated’

He expressed doubt whether the Centre would file a proper report on May 14, and called upon political parties, farmers groups and the people of the State to hold strong protests against such injustice being meted out to Tamil Nadu.

TMC president G.K. Vasan said both the Congress and the BJP were not ready to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court.

“Ultimately, both the national parties are not functioning with the interests of Tamil Nadu in their minds,” he said.

The BJP considered the Karnataka elections more important than the livelihood of Tamil Nadu farmers, Mr. Vasan said.

PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss said the people of Tamil Nadu felt cheated due to the extension given by the Supreme Court for the Centre to file the Cauvery scheme.

“The Centre asked for 10 days’ extension on May 3, but the Supreme Court has given 11 days from May 3 for filing the scheme. The court acted as if it was condemning the Centre for the delay but has given time till May 14,” Dr. Anbumani said.