Modi non-committal on Mekedatu dam issue

Vijayakant’s “private chat” with PM upsets delegation members.

April 28, 2015 01:33 am | Updated November 16, 2021 05:07 pm IST - CHENNAI:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a delegationled by DMDK leader Vijayakant in New Delhi onMonday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a delegationled by DMDK leader Vijayakant in New Delhi onMonday.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to be non-committal on the Mekedatu row when a team of united opposition from Tamil Nadu called on him, the event turned sour for some political leaders accompanying DMDK president Vijayakant, as he with his wife and brother-in-law had a “private chat” with Mr. Modi on Monday.

Various leaders, who were part of the delegation led by Mr. Vijayakant, were taken aback when he chose to have a private interaction with Mr. Modi after the delegation completed its interaction. They questioned the ethical basis of such a move.

“We were all there to talk about burning issues affecting the State. After a 20-minute interaction, he stayed back for a private talk with Mr. Modi along with his wife Premalatha and brother-in-law L.K. Sudeesh. He should have avoided this as it has put the very purpose of the visit under a cloud,” said a leader, who was part of the delegation.

Sensitive issue’

Mr. Modi gave a patient hearing to the points on the dam issue, but did not spell out the Centre’s stand, according to delegation members. The Prime Minister told the leaders that the allocation of Rs. 25 crore made by the Karnataka government was for a feasibility study and not for the construction of the dam.

“The Prime Minister said the issue was too sensitive as decisions favouring one State could cause a huge problem in the other. He said that the Centre would go by the rules if Karnataka came with application for environment clearance for the check dams,” a member said.

On the Sri Lankan Tamils question, “he [Prime Minister] said the situation in Sri Lanka has improved and is now conducive for finding a political solution. However, this cannot be done if parties in Tamil Nadu continue to play politics with the issue,” a leader said.

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