Cauvery Row: Tamil Nadu government acting subservient to Centre, says Kamal Haasan

Tamil actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan on Wednesday trained his guns at the AIADMK-led Tamil Nadu government for the delay in constitution of Cauvery Management Board.

Haasan, while addressing a press conference in Trichy said that the Tamil Nadu government was acting like a “subservient government” to the Centre rather than upholding the state’s rights.

“We were hopeful that the Supreme Court order would be implemented in toto and the Centre will constitute the CMB within the deadline of six weeks. The court had unequivocally said that no extension will be granted under any grounds. But today, to our dismay we are witnessing a repeat of what happened in 2016,” the actor-turned-politician said.

On being asked whether he will participate in the protest called by the film industry on the Cauvery issues, Haasan said that the “cine world was his too.”

He also denied going soft on the Centre over the Cauvery water issue and said that the move by the central government to seek a clarification from the Supreme Court was motivated politics and taken in wake of the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka.

The apex court, in its February 16 verdict had increased Karnataka's water share and reduced Tamil Nadu's per year share to 177.25 TMC.

The top court had given six weeks time to the Centre to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance of its judgement, which modified the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal award.

(With inputs from agencies)