Stalin has no right to criticise EPS on memorandum: Jayakumar

Jayakumar said Palaniswami in his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi a few days ago, had urged for a direction to Karnataka government to not take up any construction activities in the Cauvery basin without the prior consent of Tamil Nadu.

Delving into a memorandum submitted by Palaniswami to Modi on June 15, he underscored that the CM had batted for linkage of Godavari and Cauvery rivers to bring water to Tamil Nadu and rejuvenation of the Cauvery river on the lines of “Namami Gangae” plan.

While Stalin had dubbed the CM’s memorandum submitted to Modi as “old wine in a new bottle,” repeated over the past three years with “cuts and pastes,” Jayakumar said he does not have the locus standi to talk about Palaniswami.

“The State government has been implementing welfare projects for the people that could not be executed by Stalin when he was a Minister and city Mayor,” he claimed.

Listing out issues, including the Mekedatu dam row, the DMK chief had said the Chief Minister “missed the opportunity” to resolve such issues and people would not “forgive”him for that.

“Stalin’s statement is condemnable,” Jayakumar said, adding it was aimed at diverting people’s attention from the CM’s efforts aimed at welfare of the people, notably the poor and backward districts ofTamil Nadu.

In view of the CM’s address at the NITI Aayog meet, his memorandum to the Prime Minister and meeting with Union Ministers, the Centre has assured expeditious consideration of State’s proposals, Jayakumar said. Palaniswami had called on Modi at his residence in the national capital and discussed state specific projects and later addressed the NITI Aayog meet.