AIADMK General Secretary and Tamil Nadu’s Opposition leader Edappadi Palaniswami on Wednesday attacked the state chief Minister MK Stalin by raising the ongoing Cauvery water dispute with Karnataka where Tamil Nadu is not getting the water it has sought from the state.
“The DMK has no respect for the people and farmers of Tamil Nadu. Had that been the case, Stalin would have talked about the Cauvery issue when he went to Bangalore. For Stalin, his family comes first,” Edappadi Palaniswami said.
Taking a swipe at DMK being part of the Opposition INDIA alliance, Edappadi Palaniswami asked “Stalin is not able to save the interest of Tamil Nadu then how can he save the interest of India”.
“He (Stalin) could not save the interest of Tamil Nadu how can he save India? when Stalin attended the India Alliance’s second meeting in Bengaluru, he was welcomed by Karnataka’s Irrigation Minister DK Shivakumar. Why didn’t he talk about Tamil Nadu’s problem then?” Palaniswami asked.
Speaking about AIADMK ‘s alliance with the BJP, he said alliances are formed according to the prevailing political situation in each election.
“Is BJP an untouchable party? Why can’t we ally with them? DMK was in alliance with BJP. Earlier DMK also had ministerial posts during the BJP regime in the Centre. Alliances are formed according to the situation during each election. That’s what I am saying, coalition is different, policy is different,” Palaniswami said.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the Tamil Nadu government’s plea seeking direction to Karnataka to release 24,000 cusecs of water daily starting from August 14 to the end of the month- from the reservoirs in Karnataka on Friday.
The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Tuesday directed Karnataka to release 5,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days — up to September 12.
Karnataka had agreed to give only 3,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu citing a deficit in rainfall this year.
