Chennai: A delegation of AIADMK MPs today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the Ministry of Water Resources to withdraw the Interlocutory Application (IA) filed in the Supreme Court on the Cauvery water case. They also urged him to constitute the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) immediately, to settle the long-standing issue between the two states.

Led by M Thambidurai, Lok Sabha deputy speaker, the delegation walked up to the PMO and submitted a memorandum.

On October 3, the Ministry of Water Resources filed an IA in the Supreme Court seeking modification of its September 30 order to constitute the CMB by October 4, noting that the CMB cannot be constituted now.

“In this context, we appeal to you to intervene in the matter and direct the Ministry of Water Resources to withdraw the IA dated 3.10.2016 forthwith and to immediately comply with the orders of the Honourable Supreme Court dated 30.9.2016 and constitute the CMB at once and render justice to the lakhs of farmers dependent on the Cauvery water and the people of Tamil Nadu,” AIADMK MPs said in their memorandum.

“We are at a total loss to understand what caused this sudden reversal. The Government of India’s stance in the latest IA filed on 3.10.2016 is at total variance with the stance taken in the Honourable Supreme Court,” the memorandum noted.

The memorandum pointed out that in a federal polity, the Government of India is expected to be neutral and fair to all the states of the Union.

“It is also duty bound to uphold the majesty of law and the decision of the Honourable Supreme Court and the final order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal,” the memorandum noted.

According to the AIADMK, the Union ministers belonging to Karnataka have been vociferously supporting the stand of their government to not release Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu.

“This is against the Constitutional obligation cast on them to be neutral in any dispute between two states, as they are Union ministers for the whole country. This action of the Union ministers amount to a grave injustice to the people of Tamil Nadu,” the memorandum pointed out.

Tamil Nadu government Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao on Monday wrote to Shashi Sekhar, Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, requesting action to withdraw the IA forthwith and constitute the CMB as per apex court’s directions.