DMK’s Kanimozhi challenges Tamil Nadu CM over Mekedatu amid delimitation row

DMK Deputy General Secretary Kanimozhi Karunanidhi defended the party's boycott of a delimitation consultation and challenged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to act against Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu dam, including by leading a State delegation to the Union government

Chennai: Defending the DMK’s decision to boycott the MPs’ consultation meeting on delimitation convened by the TVK government, party Deputy General Secretary, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, on Saturday questioned Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s priorities and challenged him to take concrete action against Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam.

Kanimozhi asked whether CM Vijay was prepared to send representatives of the Tamil Nadu government along with MPs from the State to meet the Union Jal Shakti Minister and personally submit the Assembly resolution opposing the Mekedatu project.

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She argued that there was no immediate basis for the TVK government to convene a meeting on delimitation, pointing out that the Union government had neither announced plans to introduce a Delimitation Bill during the current Parliament session nor communicated any proposal to amend the existing law.

“When there is nothing before us, what is there to discuss?” she asked, explaining the DMK’s decision to stay away from the meeting.

Kanimozhi recalled that the previous DMK-led government had already convened an all-party meeting on delimitation and adopted a resolution expressing Tamil Nadu’s concerns.

She said the DMK remained firm in opposing any delimitation exercise that could reduce the State’s representation in Parliament or adversely affect its rights.

She noted that the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IUML were among the parties that had participated in the earlier all-party meeting and opposed any delimitation formula detrimental to Tamil Nadu.

Kanimozhi questioned whether those parties would alter their position merely because they were attending the consultation convened by the present government.

Turning to the Cauvery dispute, the DMK leader accused the TVK government of failing to convene an all-party meeting on the Mekedatu issue despite demands from political parties.

Instead, she said, the government had chosen to organise a consultation on delimitation when there was no immediate proposal before Parliament.

She alleged that the exercise was intended to divert public attention from the Mekedatu controversy and the concerns of Cauvery Delta farmers.

Kanimozhi said the government could demonstrate its commitment to protecting Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery rights by facilitating a delegation of State representatives and MPs to meet the Union Jal Shakti Minister.

“If the TVK-led government is genuinely concerned about the interests of Cauvery Delta farmers, will the Chief Minister send representatives of the State government to meet the Union Minister?” she asked.