Cauvery issue: DMK stages ‘Rail Roko’ in Chennai; demands Centre’s intervention

In an attempt to pressurize the ruling AIADMK over the Cauvery issue, a 48-hour rail roko agitation called by the farmers' organisations on October 17 and 18 started in Chennai on Monday.

The protestors demanded that the Union Government ought to set-up the Cauvery Management Board in order to resolve the deadlock between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

While DMK leader MK Stalin led the agitation, demonstrations were also held near or in front of Central government establishments including railway stations on Friday.

The protesters raised slogans accusing the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “betraying Tamil Nadu’s interests”. They also condemned the Centre for taking a stand against setting up the CMB immediately on the ground that the matter fell in the domain of Parliament.

The protests came days after a high-level technical team, set up by the Supreme Court, completed its inspection of Cauvery basin region in Tamil Nadu to assess the situation in the state. The team, which also inspected the Cauvery basin in Karnataka, is set to submit its report in the apex court on October 17.