CPI slams Centre for ‘closing its eyes’ on Cauvery row

Chennai, Sep 9 (PTI) The CPI today slammed the Uniongovernment for maintaining "silence" and "closing its eyes"over the Cauvery issue even as two southern states of TamilNadu and Karnataka find themselves at the centre of a ragingcontroversy. "It is the lawful duty of the Centre to resolve theCauvery issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. What is theintent in avoiding it and maintaining a silence?" CPI statesecretary R Mutharasan asked. Stating that on issues involving two sovereigncountries,the United Nations may be approached, he wondered who wouldbroker peace in the Cauvery row between two Indian states,adding that it was the Centre’s duty to resolve it. Referring to intensifying protests in Karnatakaagainstthe Supreme Court direction to release Cauvery water to TamilNadu and agitations in the state seeking more water,Mutharasan said in a statement that the "two states are nottwo different countries but are only constituent Indian statesbound by the Indian Constitution". Echoing the views of other opposition parties,includingthe DMK, the CPI leader said the state government shouldconvene an all-party meeting and take further steps on theissue. "The Tamil Nadu government should realise that it isdutybound to exert pressure on the Centre over the issue. "Only if Tamil Nadu gets 50 TMC feet of Cauvery water,would it help cultivation of Samba crop to some extent," hesaid, adding that the actual realisation of 15,000 cusecs ofwater let out by Karnataka would only be around 13 TMC feet. He blamed the Tamil Nadu government for attempting toresolve the issue through "unilateral action" rather thaninvolving the political parties and the stakeholders,including farmers’ associations. "This is a weakness of TamilNadu," he said. Steps should be taken on a war footing by the Centralandstate governments to get Cauvery water from Karnataka, to savethe standing crops and farming in the Cauvery delta region, heurged. PTI VG RCNTR