DMK flays Centre's delay in setting up Cauvery board

DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Saturday slammed the Central government for delaying setting up of the Cauvery Management Board, saying it was eyeing the Karnataka Assembly elections.

"It is clear that the Centre moved the court and adopted a vindictive attitude towards Tamil Nadu keeping the Karnataka polls in mind," he said after the Centre filed a clarification petition in the Supreme Court, asking for three months for implementing its judgment in view of the May elections in Karnataka.

This showed that the Central government was not interested in setting up the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee as directed by the Supreme Court, Stalin told reporters here.

On the Tamil Nadu government seeking contempt proceedings against the Central government for its failure to set up the bodies for which the six-week deadline expired on Friday, he said it was a "drama" enacted jointly by both governments.

Recalling that he had earlier urged the state government to file a contempt plea as the Central government would not set up the board in view of the Karnataka elections, he said it has betrayed the people of the state by moving the court after the expiry of the deadline.

--IANS

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