Cauvery debate: War of words b/w TN-K'taka MPs

New Delhi, Mar 6: A meeting of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu MPs called by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today to find a way for allowing a debate on Cauvery issue in Parliament remained inconclusive after a wordy duel broke out between the two groups.

The meeting held at Parliament Annexe here to consider Karnataka MP's demand for discussing the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal under rule 193 of Parliamentary Procedures this evening ended up in war of words between Surface Transport Minister T R Baalu and senior Karnataka MP R L Jalappa.

The Speaker adjourned the meeting to avoid further embarassment, several members attending the meeting confirmed. ''When he foresaw the meet take an ugly turn, the Speaker adjourned it asking the MPs to disperse after having tea,'' Tamil Nadu MP Ramadas said.

While Mr Chatterjee refused to speak on the issue, he said no decision had been taken on Karnataka MP's demand as it was not possible to allow discussion at this point because priority will have to be given to debate economic issues. He said he had spoken to former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda who was not opposed to allowing a debate after the House was through with discussions on economic issues in the current session.

Mr Chatterjee first allowed Surface Transport Minister T R Baalu and BJP MP Ananth Kumar to express their views. Mr Baalu was of the view that any discussion in the Parliament on Cauvery would ''fuel passions'' over the issue while Karnataka MPs said it was the best forum available for a debate. TN leaders insisted that Karnataka should prefer an appeal in the Tribunal if it had any grievance.

At this Mr Jalappa said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had welcomed the final award of the Tribunal provoking Mr Baalu to deny vehemently that the Chief Minister had made any such statement.

MPs from both sides joined the issue leading to abrupt ending of the meeting.

Several Ministers, including Mr Baalu and Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Mr Anantha Kumar made the junior MPs to field media's questions.

Considering the sensitivity of the situation the media was kept at a distance not just the cameras but even the print media.

While Tamil Nadu MPs said no consensus had been arrived at on the mode of discussions, Karnataka MP Tejaswini Sri Ramesh said the state MPs would not give up their democratic right to seek a structured debate in Parliament, the highest forum available in a democracy. ''We are not against anybody but the problems faced by the people have to be highlighted in Parliament,'' she said.

UNI

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