DMK leader Kanimozhi said the party will not attend the all-party meeting on delimitation, calling it a political drama by the state government to divert attention from the more urgent Cauvery and Mekedatu dam issues, which she said must be addressed first.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Parliamentary Party leader Kanimozhi on Saturday said the party will not participate in the all-party MPs meeting convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on delimitation, calling it unnecessary and alleging that it was aimed at diverting attention from the Cauvery issue.
DMK’s Stance and History on Delimitation
She said it was DMK president M.K. Stalin who first warned about the dangers of delimitation, convened an all-party meeting in Tamil Nadu and passed resolutions, and later held a joint action committee meeting in Chennai with CMs and party leaders from other states with the slogan ‘Tamil Nadu will fight, Tamil Nadu will win’.
Kanimozhi said there has been no official announcement from the Union government about tabling a delimitation bill in the current Parliament session, and since the amended draft bill is not even available, there is nothing new to discuss.
She said, “Tamil Nadu is not against delimitation, but it should not become a punishment for implementing social and economic welfare schemes effectively for the last 50 years, and that remains DMK’s firm stand.
She also questioned the need for this consultation when Congress, CPI, CPI-M, IUML and VCK, which unanimously passed resolutions in the earlier meeting, continue to hold the same position, and asked if the meeting was being held to change their stand.
Alleged Diversion from Cauvery Issue
Kanimozhi said, “While farmers across Tamil Nadu are protesting over the Cauvery issue and demanding an all-party meeting on the Mekedatu dam, the TVK government is maintaining silence on that but has hastily convened a delimitation meeting that no one asked for, which is nothing but a political drama to divert attention from the Cauvery issue”.
“The DMK General Secretary had already made it clear that DMK will participate only if an all-party meeting on the Mekedatu dam is held first, and hence DMK will not take part in today’s meeting”, she added.
She also asked if the government truly cares about Tamil Nadu’s Cauvery rights and Delta farmers, and whether the Chief Minister is ready to send state government representatives along with MPs to submit to the Union Jal Shakti Minister the Assembly resolution passed against the Mekedatu dam.
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