TNN
P Shanmugam
Chennai: Opposition to the recommendation for a separate tribunal on Mekedatu dam intensified on Sunday, with CPM state secretary P Shanmugam and PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss criticising the proposal. Earlier, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami had also opposed the recommendation.Shanmugam has hit out at DMK for proposing the idea and TVK for accepting it. While he questioned the rationale behind Leader of opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin for recommending a new tribunal, he flayed chief minister C Joseph Vijay for adding the recommendation in the assembly resolution passed on Friday against Mekedatu dam. Shanmugam demanded that a fresh resolution should be passed in the state assembly on Monday to revoke the clause urging the Union govt to set up a new tribunal.Shanmugam said the clause was added to the resolution without revealing its nature to the members in the assembly on Friday.“After the members expressed their support for the resolution against Mekedatu dam, Udhayanidhi Stalin requested that his recommendation be added to the resolution. Without explaining to the house what it was about, CM Vijay said it was being added. We supported the resolution without knowing what the clause was based on the original resolution tabled by Vijay,’’ Shanmugam said.“Why did you (Vijay) accept the recommendations of leader of opposition? Should you accept everything that leader of opposition says? Did you consult the secretary of the department or the legal experts? This is a sensitive issue and hasty decisions should not be taken. This is a wrong approach,” Shanmugam said.Shanmugam said the Supreme Court’s final verdict on Cauvery water dispute clearly states that no construction should be undertaken by upper riparian state without consent from the lower riparian state. So there was no need for the tribunal, he said.Shanmugam alleged that former chief minister M K Stalin had sent a letter to Union govt March 4 seeking a separate tribunal for Mekedatu after an all party meeting. “The issue was not discussed at the all-party meeting and the letter was sent without the knowledge of political parties. It was not even released for media,’’ he charged.Anbumani urged Vijay to withdraw the resolution passed in the assembly on Friday seeking a separate tribunal for Mekedatu dam. “On what basis did Udhayanidhi submit such a recommendation? Vijay would have accepted for the sake of democracy but it will further worsen the situation for Tamil Nadu. A separate tribunal is not the solution for Mekedatu issue,” Anbumani said.VCK MP D Ravikumar asked Vijay to convene an all-party meeting on Mekedatu issue. He said that if TN parties are divided on Mekedatu issue and it would send a wrong signal to Karnataka govt.
