Cauvery issue: Tamil Nadu’s Opposition parties to hold statewide shutdown protest on April 5

Major Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu are set to stand against the Narendra Modi-led Centre for ‘betraying’ the state on the Cauvery river issue and the Centre’s failure to set up the Cauvery Management Board.

The statewide shutdown will be led by MK Stalin, working president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party. A meeting of all the Opposition parties, with Stalin in the lead, was held at the DMK headquarters in Chennai on Sunday.

Stalin took to Twitter, and said, “The all-party leaders meeting today decided to hold a massive full-scale blockade on the 5th of the state to secure the right of Tamil Nadu in the Cauvery issue. It should be supported by civilians, youth and businessmen.”

இன்று நடைபெற்ற அனைத்துக் கட்சித் தலைவர்கள் கூட்டத்தில் காவிரி விவகாரத்தில் நம் தமிழகத்தின் உரிமையை நிலைநாட்ட வருகிற 5ம் தேதி மாநிலம் தழுவிய மாபெரும் முழு அடைப்புப் போராட்டம் நடத்துவதென முடிவெடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதற்கு பொதுமக்கள், இளைஞர்கள், வணிகர்கள் என அனைவரும் ஆதரவளிக்க வேண்டும் pic.twitter.com/8DBQBFUXJJ

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) April 1, 2018

“The Central government had failed to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) within six weeks of the apex court's order of 16 February,” DMK said in a statement. The six-week deadline ended on March 29.

The meeting also put forth a point of organising a ‘Securing Cauvery Rights March’ from the Cauvery Delta region in the state to Raj Bhavan. Leaders from various political parties and other professions would join the march.

Stalin added that a ‘black flag demonstration’ will be held condemning Prime Minister Narendra Modi whenever he comes to Tamil Nadu for his failure of setting up the Cauvery Management Board.

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He tweeted, “Similarly, the "black flag demonstration" will be held on behalf of all parties, condemning the Prime Minister's denial of the Cauvery Management Board, which does not set up the Cauvery Management Board in view of the Supreme Court verdict in Tamil Nadu.”

அதேபோல், தமிழ்நாட்டிற்கு பிரதமர் வருகிறபோது உச்ச நீதிமன்ற தீர்ப்பை மதிக்காமல் வேண்டுமென்றே காவிரி மேலாண்மை வாரியம் அமைக்காமல் இருக்கும் மத்திய அரசின் போக்கைக் கண்டித்து, பிரதமருக்கு கண்டனம் தெரிவிக்கும் வகையில், அனைத்துக் கட்சிகள் சார்பில் “கருப்புக் கொடி ஆர்ப்பாட்டம்” நடைபெறும்.

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) April 1, 2018

The DMK meeting criticised the BJP-led Centre for denying the rights of Tamil Nadu by misusing its powers in the Cauvery issue and including the Karnataka Assembly Elections as the reason. Karnataka, however, does not want to the Cauvery Management Board to be set up.

Speaking to the reporters, Stalin later said that he had requested the traders association to postpone their strike from April 3 to April 5.