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How will lotus bloom without water?: Stalin hits out at BJP for Mekedatu project

In a crowded area in Trichy amidst hundreds of flags and a sea of people, MK Stalin, the President of DMK, slammed the BJP-led Central government for having given permission to Karnataka to build a dam across Cauvery at Mekedatu.

He was speaking at a protest rally organised by the DMK and its allies in Trichy to protest against the Centre’s nod for a Detailed Project Report for the dam in Mekedatu. The rally, which happened in Uzhavar Sandhai area in Trichy saw thousands of cadre coming together to watch their leaders speak. DMK President MK Stalin, President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee Thirunavukkarasar, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan and leaders from other allied parties participated in the meeting.

No water for grass to grow, how will Lotus bloom?

Speaking at the rally, MK Stalin came down heavily on the BJP-led Centre for having granted permission for the dam. “Tamil Nadu is in tears because of Gaja cyclone. In this situation, news of Mekedatu dam comes in, making the state simmer in anger,” he said. Adding that the people of Tamil Nadu will not forget the actions of the Centre, Stalin said that the BJP has more affection towards Karnataka.

Stalin said, “If Karnataka is asking for permission to build a dam, what should the Central government have done? It should have asked Tamil Nadu for its opinion. If Mekedatu dam is built and water is stored, then Tamil Nadu will not get water and will end up as a desert,” and added that the dam must not be allowed. Stalin also slammed the state government for being complacent in obtaining a stay order against Karnataka building the dam.

“As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, BJP has betrayed it many times. The most recent example would be cyclone Gaja. Eight districts have been affected due to the cyclone which is one-third of Tamil Nadu. People there have lost their livelihood. We have lost almost 65 people to the cyclone,” he said. Stating that Tamil Nadu will need at least 20 years to redeem itself from the damages caused by the cyclone, Stalin alleged that if the disaster had happened in any other state, PM Modi would have rushed to that state to visit.

“Why hasn’t he come to Tamil Nadu? You might ask that he is not even in the country, how will he come to Tamil Nadu,” he said. Slamming the Central government for its inaction in attending to cyclone Gaja rehabilitation in the state, MK Stalin said that this attitude of the Centre raises question as to why should we pay taxes to the central government.

“There is no water in the state now and hence there is no means for grass to grow. How will lotus bloom here?” asked Stalin, taking a jibe at BJP’s state president Tamilisai Soundararajan’s oft-repeated phrase that indicated that BJP will establish itself soon in the state.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) recently gave the go-ahead to the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) on the balancing reservoir in Mekedatu across river Cauvery. Expressing strong opposition for the go-ahead, the Tamil Nadu government wrote letters to the Prime Minister asking him to intervene and direct CWC to withdraw the permission granted to Karnataka. The government also moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay in the preparation of DPR and requesting maintenance of status quo in the matter.

Source: The News Minute