Chennai, Agency
Asserting that the ruling TVK has no intention to politicise the emotive Cauvery river water issue, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay informed the State Assembly on Friday that the CM-level talks proposed by him at Bengaluru was aimed at getting positive signs on the issue from Karnataka to amicably solve it.
Intervening during a Special Calling Attention motion given notice of by floor leaders of various parties, including the prinicpal opposition DMK, AIADMK and others, Vijay--responding to Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin's poser as to why the government was hesitant and refusing to convene an all party meeting since Karnataka held similar meetings and has intensified its efforts on Mekedatu for the last one month--cited the remarks made in the House in 1969 when Karnataka took steps to construct some dams suggesting holding of tripartite talks between the two states along with the Centre to solve the issue.
"Why not we give it a try...I only proposed the CM-level talks with the hope of finding an amicable solution. That's why I decided to visit Bengaluru to hold talks with the Karnataka Chief Minister", he said.
Justifying his decision, Vijay said when warring countries are finding solutions through talks, being a neighbouring state, I thought let's give it a try and decided to hold talks".
He said he thought that we will get some positive signs out of the talks. Referring to remarks by some people that what would happen if the state was insulted in the talks, the Chief Minister said "I am prepared to bear it for the same of the people of Tamil Nadu".
Observing that Cauvery was the lifeline and emotional issue of Tamil Nadu and its farmers and that the TVK government would never compromise on its rights on the issue, he said the unanimous resolution adopted in the House was sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that he had also written to him citing the Supreme Court orders, demanding withdrawal of the union Minister of State for Jal Shakthi's remarks in Rajya Sabha that Karnataka need not get the consent of the lower riparian states to construct structures across the river Cauvery.
He also said the state would continue to pursue all legal means to safeguard Tamil Nadu's rights on the issue.
Soon after the House adopted obituary references condoling the death of prominent personalities, Speaker JCD Prabhakar took up the Mekedatu dam issue as a Special Calling Attention motion and expectedly, the issue dominated the Assembly with arguments and counter arguments by the Treasury and the Opposition.
After florr leaders of various parties spoke on the issue, Minister for Water Resources Anand, in his reply, listed out the steps taken by the government and reiterated its commitment to protect the state's rights on the matter.
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