Chennai: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan’s suggestion that Tamil Nadu and Karnataka should hold talks to solve the Cauvery dispute has only irked farmer’s associations and political parties in his home state.
He has been criticised by both the BJP and the CPM that he had harmed Tamil Nadu’s position on Cauvery when the Centre has just notified the Cauvery Management Authority.
State BJP president Thamilisai Soundararajan has said that Kamal’s intervention was wholly unnecessary when the Centre, on the orders of the Supreme Court, has come up with the legal remedy. How could Kamal claim to be the representative of the people of Tamil Nadu, the state BJP chief asked.
Similarly state CPM state secretary K. Balakrishnan has slammed Kamal accusing him of weakening Tamil Nadu’s claim by harping on talks, when all talks in the past had resulted in failure.
Farmers’ leaders Ayakkanu and P.R. Pandian have also faulted the leader of Makkal Needhi Maiam for appropriating the role of farmers’ representative when he had no such authorisation from any farmers’ bodies from the state.
Kamal, after meeting Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, had suggested that both states should hold talks to address the concerns of farmers of the two states. “I am happy that there is a CM who is looking to solve the dispute between the States in an amicable manner. I am heartened by his response,” he said before going on to lecture on the virtues of mutual dialogue to achieve unity (between neighbouring states) and concluding, “courts cannot deliver unity, only dialogue can”.
Stoutly disagreeing with such optimism on ‘dialogue’ as an alternative and option now after the Supreme Court gave its verdict and the Centre followed that up by appointing the Cauvery Authority, AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran joined all the other Kamal critics and slammed the star-politician as being overenthusiastic when his involvement was not needed by anyone.
E.R. Eswaran, leader of the Kongu Makkal Desiya Katchi has alleged that Kamal’s real intent in meeting was to ensure the smooth release of his film Viswaroopam -2 since Rajinikanth's Kaala has met with opposition from Kannada groups in Karnataka.
Kamal's indication that talks were a good option has only opened a raw nerve since under the guise of bilateral talks, Karnataka had only managed to drag the dispute for decades. And now when the Supreme Court delivered its verdict finally, the Karnataka politicians began speaking about settling the Cauvery dispute by talks. When Tamil Nadu has finally received some justice from the Supreme Court, Kamal's offer only dilutes Tamil Nadu's claim on Cauvery water. It is clear that his political inexperience is showing.
