3 weeks ago

DMK Calls Vijay's Delimitation Meet a Charade, Announces Boycott

DMK Calls Vijay's Delimitation Meet a Charade, Announces Boycott
"Charade": DMK To Boycott Vijay's Meet With Tamil Nadu MPs On Delimitation · NDTV

Tamil Nadu is a big state in India, and India has rules about how many elected representatives each state can send to the national Parliament.

Changing those rules is called 'delimitation,' and the state's new leader, Chief Minister Vijay, called a meeting in Chennai to talk about it with the state's lawmakers.

But the opposition DMK party said it would not come, calling the meeting a 'charade,' which is like a pretend show meant to change the subject.

The DMK says the real issue is water: the neighbouring state of Karnataka wants to build a big dam called Mekedatu on the Cauvery River, and Tamil Nadu farmers fear they will lose water.

The DMK wants Vijay to first hold a meeting of all political parties to discuss the river.

Vijay and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin argued about this in the state Assembly.

Vijay said his government voted against the dam and wrote to India's Prime Minister to object.

The DMK's leader, Kanimozhi, asked Vijay to send a delegation to the Union Water Resources Minister with the Assembly's resolution.

Some parties that usually support the DMK told it to attend the meeting and show a united front for Tamil Nadu.

Now everyone is waiting to see whether the state can solve both the water fight and the representation worry together.

Key facts

Event
Delimitation consultation meeting with Tamil Nadu MPs
Chief Minister
C Joseph Vijay
Meeting Date and Venue
August 8, Kalaivanar Arangam auditorium, Chennai
DMK Position
Boycott; calls the meeting a 'charade'
DMK MP on X
Kanimozhi (Rajya Sabha)
Leader of Opposition
Udhayanidhi Stalin
DMK Demand
All-party meeting on Cauvery water and Mekedatu dam issue
Government Actions
Assembly resolution against Mekedatu dam; letter to PM Narendra Modi; proposed talks with Karnataka

Quotes

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu

“Those who place their politics above Tamil Nadu's interests may choose not to attend. But those who put Tamil Nadu first, and politics second, will attend the all‑party meeting convened by the Chief Minister.”
NDTV
“"We can't accept the fact that the Chief Minister, who's convening a consultative meet for delimitation, is refusing to convene an all-party meet related to the Cauvery issue."”
NDTV

Sources

Related news