CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday raised a series of issues concerning Tamil Nadu, including the Mekedatu dam project, rendering of Tamil Thai Vazhthu at official events and the arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen, during his maiden meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
During the nearly half-an-hour meeting, Vijay submitted a memorandum containing demands and concerns relating to the State.
The Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister for facilitating the retrieval of the Chola-era Anaimangalam plates and later raised several issues affecting Tamil Nadu.
One of the issues highlighted by Vijay was the rendering of Tamil Thai Vazhthu at government functions. When his swearing-in ceremony, where Tamil Thai Vazhthu was rendered after Vande Mataram and the National Anthem, the Chief Minister urged the Centre to ensure that the State song was accorded appropriate priority at official events in Tamil Nadu.
He requested the Prime Minister to issue suitable directions to the Union Home Ministry so that Tamil Thai Vazhthu would be sung before the commencement of government functions in the State.
The Chief Minister also referred to a Union Home Ministry communication issued earlier regarding the singing of Vande Mataram at official functions.
Vijay further urged the Centre to establish the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) project in Tamil Nadu amid reports that neighbouring Andhra Pradesh was moving ahead with the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) aerospace project.
He stated that both the AMCA and CABS projects had been under discussion with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the past few years.
The Chief Minister also reiterated Tamil Nadu’s opposition to Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery river.
Referring to a recent statement made by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister regarding the proposed bhoomi puja for the project, Vijay said the move violated the judgment of the Supreme Court of India and the award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT).
He urged the Prime Minister to ensure that the project was not approved without the concurrence of all Cauvery basin States, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.
C Vijay also appealed to the Centre to advise the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Central Water Commission appropriately on the matter.
Another key issue raised by the Chief Minister was the arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities.
According to the memorandum, 12 incidents relating to arrests of fishermen had taken place in the past five months. Vijay said 58 Tamil Nadu fishermen and 266 fishing boats were currently under the custody of Sri Lankan authorities.
He urged the Prime Minister to take up the issue with the Sri Lankan government and secure the release of the detained fishermen and their boats at the earliest.