Tamil Nadu CM Vijay meets PM Modi in Delhi on first official visit, discusses Mekedatu dam project
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK founder Vijay on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi during his maiden official visit. The two leaders spoke on issues ranging from the Mekedatu dam project and fishermen arrests among others.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being greeted by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay during a meeting in New Delhi. PTI
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (May 27) and discussed various issues pertaining to the people of Tamil Nadu, including the Mekedatu dam issue, fishermen arrests and the Tamil invocation song row.
Notably, this is the TVK chief's maiden official visit to the national capital after taking office earlier in the month. According to a government release, the Chief Minister expressed strong opposition to Karnataka's decision to hold a ground-breaking ceremony for the Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery River, calling it contrary to the final ruling of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the judgment of the Supreme Court of India.
The CM requested Modi to issue a clear directive allowing the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu (invocation song) to be sung at the start of government events. During the meeting, Vijay also urged the prime minister to take strong measures to secure the immediate release of Tamil Nadu fishermen and their vessels.
What did the two leaders talk about?
An official statement from the minister's office read, "During the meeting, the chief minister thanked the Prime Minister for bringing back the Anaimangalam copper plates to India during his visit to the Netherlands."
"The chief minister also stated that the Tamil Thai Vazhthu, the state invocation song, has always been sung at the beginning of all government functions in Tamil Nadu. He said that following a circular issued by the Union home ministry in January this year, the national anthem has been sung first at certain government events," the statement read.
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During the interaction, Vijay appealed to the Union Home Ministry to clarify that Tamil Thai Vazhthu may continue to be rendered at the commencement of government programmes in Tamil Nadu.
Vijay to meet Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman
Vijay is likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah as well as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, along with other senior Union Ministers, reported news agency ANI.
This is Vijay's first visit to Delhi since becoming chief minister on May 10 after the party won 108 of the 234 assembly seats. Earlier on Tuesday, Vijay wrote to PM Modi, urging the Centre not to allow the construction of the Mekedatu dam by the Karnataka government.
With inputs from agencies
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