Chennai, August 6: In Tamil Nadu, opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin has challenged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to answer questions regarding the Cauvery water dispute. He accused the three-month-old Tamil Nadu government of failing to address farmers’ concerns.
Speaking to reporters after Agriculture Minister R. Vinod presented the state’s first agricultural budget in the Assembly, Udhayanidhi stated that farmers have been the most affected since the new government took office.
Vinod delivered a nearly 129-minute speech outlining plans and measures for the agricultural sector. However, Udhayanidhi claimed that the budget did not provide clarity on key issues facing farmers, particularly regarding crop loan waivers and the Cauvery water situation.
He alleged that farmers have been disappointed for the past three months as the government has failed to fulfill its promise of agricultural loan waivers. He also accused the TVK government of merely renaming and reannouncing schemes initiated by the previous DMK administration.
Udhayanidhi pointed out that during the election campaign, the Chief Minister promised to waive crop loans for farmers cultivating up to five acres. However, he asserted that no concrete steps have been taken to fulfill this promise.
Regarding the Cauvery dispute, he noted that Karnataka has not released the expected water and has clarified its stance on further releases.
Referencing the proposed dialogue during Vijay’s visit to Karnataka, Udhayanidhi mentioned that the Karnataka Chief Minister later advised Vijay against making the trip, stating that no additional water could be released.
He emphasized that the DMK has repeatedly called for an all-party meeting on the Cauvery issue to demonstrate unity in protecting the state’s water rights. He accused the Chief Minister of not responding to this demand.
Udhayanidhi stated that the opposition has written to the Assembly Speaker, requesting permission to present an urgent proposal to discuss farmers’ issues on Friday.
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