Chennai: State Fisheries Minister and AIADMK senior D. Jayakumar on Tuesday has claimed that Karnataka Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi for a Parliament debate on the constitution of Cauvery Water Management Authority was “a waste of time” and asserted that the only ‘Swamy’ who mattered in the issue now is the Cauvery Water Management Authority.
His meeting with the PM was merely to seek a political mileage and it will not make any impact, Mr. Jayakumar said. “There is clear direction from Supreme Court on Cauvery conflict. Karnataka Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy meeting Mr. Modi was a waste of time. Whether it is Kumaraswamy, Narayanasamy or some other Swamy, we have Cauvery Water Management Authority, which is the ultimate Swamy and we hope to receive the blessings,” Mr Jayakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here he said the Karnataka government had earlier opposed any move to form the Cauvery Management Board and had suggested the constitution of Cauvery Decision Implementation Committee. But it is now the court’s mandate that the authority is duty-bound to implement the orders.
“He can only create a scene and show a 70 mm film. Nothing is going to happen. The authority will ensure the rights of the states are realised. We don’t care about the meeting of anyone,” Mr. Jayakumar said referring to Mr. Kumaraswamy’s meeting with the PM.
When asked why Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami could not get an appointment with Mr. Modi, whereas his Karnataka counterpart found it easy, the Minister replied “Mr. Palaniswami represented the State’s concerns several times in the past during Mr. Modi’s visit to Chennai and in the national capital.
On February 16, the Supreme Court had directed the Centre to constitute the CMA within six weeks, while marginally increasing Karnataka’s share of Cauvery water. The verdict also saw a reduction in allocation for Tamil Nadu.
The Authority was formed post the Assembly election in Karnataka where the Congress-JD (S) combine formed the government after BJP's B. S. Yeddyurappa quit.
