INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
protests across Tamil Nadu over the formation of the Cauvery Management Board, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) founder Vaiko's
close relative set himself on fire on Friday, news agency IANS reported
The man has been admitted to a hospital where he condition was said to be "very critical'.
A 25-year-old man in Tamil Nadu's Erode had also
set him ablaze on Thursday allegedly over the central and state governments' "inaction" on the Cauvery issue, police said
He sustained 90 per cent burns.
MDMK leader Vaiko has appealed to people not to harm themselves and protest in a peaceful way.
Mr Vaiko
said Saravana Suresh, his wife's nephew, had been upset for farmers and the state
On Friday, Mr Vaiko said, Suresh, 50, left his home in Virudhunagar, over 500 km from state capital Chennai, for his morning walk
When he reached an open ground, he reportedly doused himself with kerosene and set himself on fire, IANS reported
Passersby rushed him to the Virudhunagar government hospital with 80 per cent burns
He was later shifted to Madurai's Apollo Hospital.
"I have lost hope of his survival
All in my family are suffering (because of the incident)," Mr Vaiko added.
Tamil Nadu political parties, farmer associations and various
other bodies have been protesting against the central government for not setting up the Cauvery Management Board on an urgent basis.
The
Supreme Court had on February 16 reduced Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water and given more water to Karnataka and ordered the centre to set
up the board within six weeks
The deadline, however, expired on March 29 and no action was taken forcing people to raise their concern through various protests.
They
have been alleging that the ruling BJP has been "deliberately" delaying the board as it could upset poll-bound Karnataka and has an impact
on the election results for the party.
Angry protesters even forced all Indian Premier League (IPL) matches scheduled to be held in Chennai
Superstar Rajinikanth, who announced his political entry on December last year, had emphasised that holding cricket matches when Cauvery
black flags and black balloons by protesters.
Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan too "welcomed" PM Modi and attempted to draw his
attention to the "crisis" in Tamil Nadu due to the delay on part of the centre through a video message in which he said that "people are
more important than the elections" .
Kamal Haasan had earlier held politics responsible for the delay since neighbouring Karnataka is set
standing in the way of the state receiving justice.
The ruling AIADMK and the opposition parties, including DMK, had called for state-wide
bandh and hunger strike earlier this month to register their protest.
