Chennai: Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) chief Vaiko on October 16
requested Prime Minister A B Vajpayee to take effective steps to make Karnataka
implement the orders of Supreme Court and also the directions of Cauvery River
Authority pertaining to release of Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu.
In a telegram to the Prime Minister from Vellore Central prison, where he has been
lodged after being arrested under Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) for his alleged
support to the outlawed LTTE, Vaiko said that the Cauvery delta farmers and people
of Tamil Nadu were concerned over the 'atrocious, undemocratic and illegal' attitude
of the Karnataka government on the issue.
Vaiko said that international conventions and statutes had clearly established the
state's rights to get its due share of Cauvery water, being a lower riparian state
and added that Karnataka had no legal right to deny the release of water.
He charged that Union governments in the 60s and 70s had 'betrayed' Tamil Nadu by
allowing Karnataka to 'illegally' construct dams in the tributaries of the Cauvery-
Kabini, Hemavathi and Herangi.
The Cauvery dispute was a 'litmus test' for the integrity of the country, he said,
adding that Vajpayee should take the opportunity to demonstrate his statesmanship,
keeping in mind the vision of future generations.
PTI
