On the day the Assembly passed a unanimous resolution against the proposal for a dam at Mekedatu, a call to preserve State autonomy echoed in the speeches made by leaders of various parties.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said the Centre, which was supposed to treat all the States equally, was being partial in the Cauvery dispute.
The Karnataka government’s proposal for a dam at Mekedatu had the ulterior motive to turn Tamil Nadu into a desert and the Central Water Commission’s action of going along with the project was condemnable, Mr. Palaniswami said in his speech.
AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam recalled former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai’s observations on the Central government in Delhi.
“Our leader Anna had observed that whichever Central government sat in Delhi spoke as sweet as honey (then) but would eventually sting sharply as a scorpion (thel).”
“The developments only make us think about his observations,” said Mr. Panneerselvam, while interrupting Congress leader K.R. Ramasamy.
DMK president and Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin, during his speech, wanted to know why the AIADMK government had not acted on various indications that Karnataka was going ahead with its plan for a dam across the Cauvery.
Although he sought to raise the Gaja relief operations in the House and made some observations, the Speaker refused to allow it.
Remarks expunged
Mr. Ramasamy said that the BJP government at the Centre was not honouring the Supreme Court judgment on the Cauvery issue and hence the BJP would not win even in a single constituency.
When he went on to make some observations against the BJP leadership, the Chair quickly expunged them and said the session was about the resolution against Mekedatu.
Indian Union Muslim League MLA K.A.M. Muhammed Abubacker said people were wondering whether the resolutions passed in State Assemblies were taken seriously and State autonomy had become questionable.
AIADMK MLA M. Thamimun Ansari pointed out that India raised its objections when China planned a dam across the Brahmaputra, but when it came to inter-State issues, the Centre took a different stand.
DMK objects
After the Chief Minister’s long reply on the motion to pass a resolution against Mekedatu, DMK Floor Leader Duraimurugan said the Chief Minister was for all and could not recall only the contributions of the AIADMK leadership and suppress the contributions of late DMK president and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
“This is not fair on the part of the Chief Minister to suppress facts,” said Mr. Duraimurugan, prompting a reply from Mr. Palaniswami: “I only pointed out because Mr. Ramasamy questioned what we did over the issue!” The ruling AIADMK government also questioned as to why the then Congress government in the Centre had not published the Supreme Court judgment in the government gazette until the pressure was exerted by the then CM Jayalalithaa.