Cauvery issue: TN CM, Dy CM lead hunger strike called by AIADMK

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy and his deputy O Panneerselvam left the ruling AIADMK and the state police by surprise on Tuesday by leading the hunger strike called by the party demanding setting up of Cauvery management board.

Palanisamy and Panneerselvam arrived at the venue -- Chepauk near Marina Beach -- around 8 am. Their names were not on the list of leaders participating in the hunger strike. Their participation has come in the backdrop of opposition parties stepping up protests across the state.

The ruling AIADMK's hunger strike is against the Centre on its betrayal as they call it by not constituting the Cauvery Water Management Board (CMB).

The Supreme Court's order of constituting the CMB on the Cauvery dispute ended on March 29.

The traders federation too has announced their support by shutting down of shops.

According to reports, around twenty one lakh shops across the state are protesting against the Centre for what they call defiance of the Supreme Court's order, by not constituting the Cauvery Management Board.

The Chief Justice on Monday said the court will solve issues of Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, traffic was disrupted on the Wallajah Road due to the hunger strike at Chepauk.

The party is demanding that the BJP government at the Centre set up the Cauvery Management Board and the Cauvery water regulation committee immediately, establish the rights of Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery water and safeguard the interests of the state.

On Monday, two DMK workers allegedly made self immolation bids in Coimbatore amid a state-wide stir for setting up CBM to implement the Supreme Court's verdict.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu allege that the BJP is defying the apex court to score brownie points in poll bound Karnataka, which opposes Cauvery Management Board. It would take away its rights over the dams across river Cauvery.

The 765-km-long Cauvery river, also called the Ganga of the south, is the lifeline for Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The waterbody commences its journey from Kodagu district in southern Karnataka and flows into Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

The day-long hunger strike began at 8 am and will continue till 5 in the evening.

Here are LIVE updates of AIADMK'S hunger strike:

• 10:44 am: Markets closed in Coimbatore after bandh called by traders associations over Cauvery issue

(Photo: ANI/Twitter)

(Photo: ANI/Twitter)

• 10:34 am: Members of Parliament (MPs) of AIADMK staged protest in the Parliament premises over the constitution of Cauvery Management Board (CMB). Lok Sabha was adjourned on Monday too for the day amid slogan shouting by AIADMK members on Cauvery Board issue

(Photo: ANI/Twitter)

• 09:33 am: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the cauvery issue. Amid protests across Tamil Nadu on Monday, Governor Banwarilal Purohit left for Delhi by an evening flight, airport officials said
• 08:55 am: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam commence their hunger strike over protesting against the Central government for not setting up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB)

(Photo: ANI/Twitter)

• 08:50 am: Over 21 lakh shops to remain shut today in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu has told the Supreme Court that the Centre should be hauled up for not setting up a Cauvery Management Board as the court had ordered