First Delhi Meet After Taking Charge: CM Vijay Raises Big Tamil Nadu Issues With PM Modi

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday and addressed some key issues regarding the state. It was Vijay’s first official meeting with the Prime Minister since becoming Chief Minister. In the meeting at the PMO complex in Delhi, Vijay expressed concerns over Karnataka’s planned Mekedatu project across the Cauvery River. The project goes against the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award and Supreme Court pronouncements. The Chief Minister also said Tamil Nadu farmers are worried about the project and sought the Central government's permission not to approve it without Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry's consent. Another major issue discussed was Sri Lankan Navy's arrest of fishermen from Tamil Nadu. Vijay informed PM Modi that 58 fishermen from Tamil Nadu are held in Sri Lankan custody and 266 fishing boats have been seized. He called on the Prime Minister to help achieve their immediate release. Vijay also discussed the Tamil Thai Vazhthu issue. He asked the Centre to allow Tamil Nadu’s traditional state invocation song to continue being played first at government functions. A further question: the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister was seeking help on major development projects in Tamil Nadu itself. He also requested the establishment of the DRDO’s Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) development centre in Tamil Nadu. Later Vijay visited Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and asked her for new funding for highway, railway, port, industrial corridors and Metro Rail projects in Hosur, Coimbatore as well as Madurai. He further called on the Centre to set up additional Institutes of National Importance in Tamil Nadu to enhance the state’s quality education. Vijay welcomed PM Modi from abroad and thanked him for bringing back the rare Anaimangalam copper plates recovered from the Netherlands.