Cauvery issue: Opposition leader starts petition in change.org

In the petition, Stalin also said that in conjunction with the campaign, physical post cards signed by the farmers of the region will also be sent to the President. The petition appeals to the President on behalf of seven crore people of Tamil Nadu to constitute the CMB without any delay to protect the livelihood of farmers. The DMK working president also draws the President’s attention to the gravity of the ongoing protests in the state to constitute the CMB. 

DMK men gave a tough time to media persons covering the rally. Especially the electronic media persons found it difficult as the party leaders entertained only Kalaignar TV crew at the meeting venue. When the rally reached Allur, a group of bouncers surrounded the media crew and blocked their view. They assaulted media persons when they took the issue to Stalin, who reportedly turned a blind eye. One of the regional heads of a national channel broke his legs and another suffered injuries in the melee. Later, the two were rescued by DSP Kodilingam and sent to hospital.

Barely a couple of days after participating in the bandh called for by its ally DMK on Cauvery issue, the state Congress on Saturday resolved that it was impractical for national parties to air views on the Cauvery dispute after the Supreme Court had pronounced its verdict. On a resolution adopted during a meeting of Congress district presidents chaired by state party chief Su Thirunavukkarasar, the party said the solutions achieved on Cauvery issue so far have only been through the SC and not by the Centre and state governments. The Congress party also expressed regret at the BJP leaders suggesting that Rahul Gandhi should advise Karnataka CM Siddaramiah to resolve the dispute.

Traffic on the busy Thanjavur-Tiruchy national highways was affected for more than an hour on Saturday when the farmers under the banner of Cauvery Rights Retrieval Committee (CRRC) blocked the road at Sanoorappatti protesting the BJP-led Union government for its failure to constitute the CMB. The protesters led by P Maniyarasan, the coordinator of CRRC blocked the road in all the four lanes and the traffic came to a grinding halt. Though more than 1,000 farmers participated in the protest the police arrested around 300 persons. Based on the call by the CRRC, the farmers led by G Tirunavukkarasu, the leader of Organic farmers’ movement blocked the Thanjavur-Nagappattinam highways at Saliamangalam. The protesters also staged rail roko in Ayanapuram station.