Ramadoss hits out at Jaya on her proposed fast on Mar 18

Chennai, Mar 12 (UNI) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder leader Dr S Ramadoss today hit out at AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa on her proposed fast on the Cauvery water issue, stating that it would only undermine the interests of Tamil Nadu on the issue.

Alleging that Ms Jayalalithaa's proposed fast on the issue on March 18 was politicaly motivated, the PMK leader, talking to newspersons here, alleged ''the fast will not help to promote the interest of Tamil Nadu. On the otherhand, it will only favour Karnataka.'' Pointing out that immediate Gazette notification of the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal was not possible as demanded by the AIADMK leader, he said even when the Tribunal gave its interim award in June, 1991, it was notified in the gazette only after six months in December.

When the Tribunal gave its interim award in June 1991 and the same was published in the gazette six months later, Ms Jayalalithaa was at the helm of affairs, Dr Ramadoss said.

Knowing fully well that immediate gazette notification was not possible as the states concerned were given 90 days time to file their petitions seeking clarifications, Ms Jayalalithaa had announced the hunger strike only to achieve political gains, he charged.

Ms Jayalalithaa had announced she would observe a one-day token fast on March 18 to condemn the Centre and the state Government for ''not initiating'' any steps to implement the final award of the Tribunal.

The AIADMK supremo had also called upon farmers and general public to take part in the state-wide hunger strike organised by the party as the issue was a ''life problem'' for Tamil Nadu.

She had lambasted the DMK government for ''not taking any effort'' to get Cauvery water for delta farmers even a month after the Tribunal had given its verdict.

UNI