Chennai: Accusing the Centre of being ”biased” against Tamil Nadu on the raging Mullaperiyar, Koodankulam and other issues, DMDK President Vijayakanth on Thursday announced a black flag agitation against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, when he visits the city on December 26.
In a strong worded statement, the actor-politician, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, said he would personally lead the agitation and show black flags to the Prime Minister as a mark of people’s sense of opposition to him.
He appealed to partymen, supporters and all sections of the people to take part in the agitation and condemn the Centre’s ‘step-motherly attitude’ towards Tamil Nadu.
Mr Vijayakanth accused the Centre of being a silent spectator, when the people of the state have come to the streets and fighting for their rights over the Mullaperiyar dam.
The centre also remained indifferent to the agitation of Koodankulam, who apprehended threat to their lives because of the nuclear plant and series of agitations staged by fishermen, condemning the frequent attacks on fishermen by the Lankan Navy.
”Why should the Prime Minister visit the state at all, when he failed to respect the feelings and pleas of the people of the state.
Is the Centre taking the people of Tamil Nadu for granted,” Mr Vijayakanth further asked.
He said,”all sections of the people, including farmers, fishermen, traders and workers were fighting for the rights of the state and his party platform speaker, committed suicide to protect the interest of the state over the Mullaperiyar issue, but the Centre remained silent.”
Mr Vijayakanth said when the Supreme court passed orders on the Mullaiperiyar issue allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the water level from 136 ft to 142 ft, the Centre had the responsibility to ensure that the order was implemented, but it remained silent.
As Kerala refused to implement the order, the matter was still pending before the Supreme Court and during the pendency of the petition, the Kerala Assembly had passed a resolution, seeking to build a new dam and lower the water-level in Mullaperiyar to 120 ft, he pointed out.
He said the Mullaperiyar issue has become a People’s movement in Tamil Nadu after Keralites started attacking the Ayyappa devotees from Tamil Nadu and the Tamil Nadu Registered vehicles.
The DMDK staged an agitation on December 14, seeking the intervention of the Centre to resolve the crisis and submitted a memorandum to the state Governor, demanding deployment of central forces to protect the dam, but the Centre remained silent. (UNI)