Obey the Supreme Court's order on Mullai Periyar Dam Issue: CPI also insists Karunanidhi

Following suit with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra kazhagam (AIADMK) and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(MDMK), State Unit of the Communist Party of India(CPI) has urged the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi to appoint an expert member in the committee constituted by the Supreme Court to ascertain the issues on Mullai Periyar Dam.

The CPI wanted how the views of Tamil Nadu would be put forth in the Mullaperiyar committee constituted by the Supreme Court, since the ruling DMK's General Body had asked the state government to stay away from the committee.

"This is a decision taken in haste and anger. Do we have to put forth our views or not," asked CPI State Secretary D. Pandian, addressing presspersons here. He said that the findings of the committee were recommendatory in nature and the State should have taken an informed decision on the issue.

On February 20, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general council disapproved of the Supreme Court’s decision to constitute a five-member Empowered Committee to consider issues relating to the Mullaperiyar dam dispute. It declared that there was no need for Tamil Nadu to have a nominee on the panel.

On February 18, the Supreme Court had appointed former Chief Justice of India A.S. Anand as Chairman of the high-level Empowered Committee to go into all aspects (except legal and constitutional) of the Mullaperiyar dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

On the debate surrounding the rise in prices of fertilizers, Mr. Pandian said that there should be no increase in the price of fertilizers. When it was pointed out that the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, M.K. Alagiri, opposed the hike, he said that if there was a hike then, the Minister should explain why it happened despite his opposition. "What is to be done by him and the stance of his party, has to be decided by them," he added.

On the by-election to the Pennagaram Assembly constituency, Mr. Pandian said that the opposition parties led by the AIADMK were in favour of a joint candidate. "But the PMK on its own declared that it was severing its relationship with the AIADMK and is now functioning independently," he said and added that hence, a common opposition candidate was not possible at this stage. The CPI was supporting the AIADMK, he said and declined comment on the CPI (M) decision to campaign for the opposition candidate from its own platform.

On the death of CPI (M) leader W.R. Varada Rajan, he said that he hoped that the incident would "kindle a great debate inside the party regarding its functions and also the need for rectification of unjustifiable radical actions."

Earlier, AIADMK supremo Ms Jayalalithaa and MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, flayed Karunanidhi's stand onMullai Periyar Dam Issue, by declining to nominate a member in the committee appointed by the apex court.

- Asian Tribune -