INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Haasan today appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to quickly set up the Cauvery Water Management Board, telling him that the centre
this belief to be dispelled," Kamal Haasan, who has campaigned for implementing the Supreme Court verdict, said in a video message to the
Prime Minister, because "people are more important the elections as you well know".Kamal Hassan tweeted the video message minutes after PM
Narendra Modi reached Chennai and used a chopper to reach the DefExpo 70 km from the state capital and later, IIT Madras campus, reportedly
due to protests that opposition parties had planned
The opposition did get their message through, using black balloons."My name is Kamal Haasan
This is an open video to my honourable Prime Minister," Kamal Haasan says in the message, drawing his attention to the "crisis" in Tamil
Nadu due to the delay on part of the centre."You can easily deliver the justice that Tamil Nadu is seeking," Kamal Haasan, 63, who wore a
black shirt as a mark of protest, said.Public anger over Cauvery waters has peaked in Tamil Nadu after the centre kept sitting on a verdict
by the Supreme Court earlier this year that required the centre to set up the authority that would ensure sharing of Cauvery waters between
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry.Kamal Haasan had earlier held politics responsible for the delay since neighbouring Karnataka
is set to vote its next government in May
Last week, he told that the centre was playing a political game that was standing in the way of the state receiving justice.The Supreme
Court, which is hearing petitions to seek implementation of its verdict, has also reprimanded the central government for coming up with
excuses to put off setting up the authority."The Supreme Court has already performed its constitutional role by delivering the judgement
It is now the turn of your government to perform its constitutional duty and implement the order," Kamal Haasan said in the open letter.The
765-km long Cauvery river, also called the Ganga of the south, originates in Kodagu district in southern Karnataka and flows into Tamil
Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry."Please do justice for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and see that Supreme Court judgement is followed," Mr Haasan
said in the video, adding that he was also putting out an open letter in case "I have missed out any points in my anxiety to pass on this
tumultuous moment in Tamil Nadu".Mr Haasan also pointed out how in his earlier role as Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Modi had the experience of
water sharing amongst four states through the Narmada Control Authority.
