DMK President Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi on Jun 15 described as “old wine in a new bottle” the memorandum submitted by Chief Minister Jayalalitha to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Jun 14. He said even in 2014 and again in 2015 she brought the Centre’s attention to similar issues.
In a statement, Kalaignar said that according to reports in all dailies Chief Minister Jayalalitha flew to Delhi in a special aircraft and returned the same evening after presenting 29 demands to the Prime Minister.
Kalaignar said immediately after Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014, Jayalalitha visited Delhi on 3.6.2014 and presented him a 31-point charter of demands and met President Pranba Mukerjee and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. After that two years later she visited Delhi and returned to Chennai after presenting a 29-point charter of demands to the Prime Minister.
In between, when Modi visited Chennai for a function in Aug 2015 met her at her residence when also she presented a petition containing 19 demands.
But if the requirements in those memorandums were seen it could be understood that most of the demands were repeatedly placed before the Prime Minister including constitution of the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.
Kalaignar said most of the 29-points charter are the same as those presented to the PM in the last two years. “For example, the demands for Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee were there in the memorandums in 2014 and 2015,” he said.
The demands to stop the construction of a dam at Megedatu and linking of inter-State rivers were given to the Prime Minister last year. The demands on Avinashi-Athikadavu project, protection of traditional fishing rights of fishermen, redeeming Katchtheevu, commissioning of Cheyyur thermal plant, release of balance funds vide 13th Finance Commission policy, modernisation of police force, commencement of second phase of Metro Rail project, Tamil as official language at the Centre, AIMS hospital in TN, license for digital transmission for TN Arasu Cable Ltd and lifting of jallikattu ban had been already been presented in 2015, the DMK leader said.
“We can easily understand that these demands have not been fulfilled, from the fact that they are being repeatedly taken up (with Modi),” he said adding it creates doubt over the seriousness of the affair.
Kalaignar said the State government should not stop with making requests to the Prime Minister and follow the demands through meeting the ministers concerned.
Pressure should be mounted through political and bureaucratic channels to implement the demands, but the Chief Minister is giving the same set of demands again and again.
The DMK chief said that after demands are made with the Centre, “political and administrative pressure” has to be exerted to ensure they are fulfilled, as state Ministers have to call on their Union cabinet counterparts and officials.
“That the Chief Minister has put forth the same pleas made two years back, one is reminded of the saying - old wine in a new bottle,” he said.
In a statement, Kalaignar said that according to reports in all dailies Chief Minister Jayalalitha flew to Delhi in a special aircraft and returned the same evening after presenting 29 demands to the Prime Minister.
Kalaignar said immediately after Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014, Jayalalitha visited Delhi on 3.6.2014 and presented him a 31-point charter of demands and met President Pranba Mukerjee and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. After that two years later she visited Delhi and returned to Chennai after presenting a 29-point charter of demands to the Prime Minister.
In between, when Modi visited Chennai for a function in Aug 2015 met her at her residence when also she presented a petition containing 19 demands.
But if the requirements in those memorandums were seen it could be understood that most of the demands were repeatedly placed before the Prime Minister including constitution of the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee.
Kalaignar said most of the 29-points charter are the same as those presented to the PM in the last two years. “For example, the demands for Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee were there in the memorandums in 2014 and 2015,” he said.
The demands to stop the construction of a dam at Megedatu and linking of inter-State rivers were given to the Prime Minister last year. The demands on Avinashi-Athikadavu project, protection of traditional fishing rights of fishermen, redeeming Katchtheevu, commissioning of Cheyyur thermal plant, release of balance funds vide 13th Finance Commission policy, modernisation of police force, commencement of second phase of Metro Rail project, Tamil as official language at the Centre, AIMS hospital in TN, license for digital transmission for TN Arasu Cable Ltd and lifting of jallikattu ban had been already been presented in 2015, the DMK leader said.
“We can easily understand that these demands have not been fulfilled, from the fact that they are being repeatedly taken up (with Modi),” he said adding it creates doubt over the seriousness of the affair.
Kalaignar said the State government should not stop with making requests to the Prime Minister and follow the demands through meeting the ministers concerned.
Pressure should be mounted through political and bureaucratic channels to implement the demands, but the Chief Minister is giving the same set of demands again and again.
The DMK chief said that after demands are made with the Centre, “political and administrative pressure” has to be exerted to ensure they are fulfilled, as state Ministers have to call on their Union cabinet counterparts and officials.
“That the Chief Minister has put forth the same pleas made two years back, one is reminded of the saying - old wine in a new bottle,” he said.
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