DMK MPs walk out RS for not given chance to raise Protected Agricultural Zone in Cauvery Delta

Staging a walkout from Rajya Sabha, DMK MP said that TN CM has announced Cauvery Delta - Trichy, Karur, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Cuddalore and Pudukkottai districts as the Protected Agricultural Zone. But, there is no reaction from the union government so far. When we raised the issue in the parliament, we were not allowed to speak on that issue.

New Delhi: Tamil Nadu's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MPs led by its Rajya Sabha committee head Tiruchi Siva MP walked out from the upper house of the parliament for not giving them a chance to raise questions on Tamil Nadu CM's recent announcement of declaring Cauvery Delta as the Protected Agricultural Zone.

Speaking about the issue, Tiruchi Siva said that the Union Government is remaining silent on this subject despite they raised the center's response to the announcement of TN CM.

"TN CM has announced Cauvery Delta - Trichy, Karur, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Cuddalore and Pudukkottai districts - as the Protected Agricultural Zone. But, there is no reaction from the union government so far. When we raised the issue in the parliament, we were not allowed to speak on that issue," Siva said.

He further noted that the centre should clarify their position on declaring Cauvery Delta as Protected Agricultural Zone.

"If a particular area was declared protected agricultural zone, no industries could function there. However, in Cauvery delta, the Union Government has given permission to ONGC, Vedanta for doing exploration and extraction of oil and hydrocarbon. We want to know whether the Centre will cancel the permissions in cognizance with TN CM's announcement. But, no one is responding from the government. It should clarify what kind of industries can function and what should not," the Rajya Sabha MP charged.

Siva also alleged that oppositions are not given the right opportunities to convey their contentions in parliament.

"Suppressing voices against the government is continuing in the house also. They are not even broadcasting speeches critical about the government. If we were not allowed to speak our state's issues in parliament, then where we have to raise that," he questioned.

The DMK propaganda secretary also slammed the AIADMK leaders who met central ministers on Monday requesting the union to take a decision on Protected Agricultural Zone.

"Only when the Government places its decision before the elected representatives, it will get recognizability. Otherwise, meeting ministers personally in a room will not do anything," Siva accused TN Minister D Jayakumar and AIADMK MP's recent meeting with Union Ministers Prakash Javdekar, Prahalath Joshi and Dharmendra Pradhan.

It might be recalled Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswamy on Sunday gave an announcement declaring Calvert Delta as Protected Agricultural Zone. He also assured his government will not allow the hydrocarbon extraction projects which have been facing firm objections from the farmers in Cauvery Delta.