Kerala Blockade: Vaiko, Nedumaran held

THENI/NAGERCOIL: The struggle against Kerala will continue till the State drops its plan for building a new dam and implements the Supreme Court directive on raising the storage level of Mullaiperiyar dam, MDMK general secretary Vaiko said here on Wednesday. Vaiko, who was proceeding to Chinnamanoor to lead a blockade against Kerala, was arrested along with Thamizhar Desiya Iyakkam leader Pazha Nedumaran. People surrounded the vehicle and demanded the release of the two leaders.Vaiko and Nedumaran appealed to the people to give way to the vehicle, saying that the struggle would continue. They were kept in a wedding hall in Theni and released later in the evening along with 217 others.Vaiko said that lakhs had joined the campaign against Kerala. Blockades were taking place on all roads leading to Kerala. “The Centre should take action to protect the Mullaiperiyar dam, the source of irrigation and the lifeline of five southern districts of TN. Kerala is creating problems because it wants water for Idukki dam. This subterfuge was pointed out Pazha Nedumaran way back in 1980,” he said.The Centre should provide CISF protection to the dam, he demanded. Vaiko further said that the people have lost their patience because Sabarimala devotees from TN and Tamil workers were being assaulted in Kerala.In Kanyakumari district, around 500 cadre were arrested during the MDMK’s road blockade at Kaliyakkavilai on Wednesday. However,  no incidents of violence were reported from any part of the district.As part of the MDMK’s call for a blockade of 13 entry points to Kerala, cadre from Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi staged a march from Ottamaram, located about two km from the TN - Kerala border, to the PPM junction in Kaliyakkavilai. At PPM junction, senior functionaries of MDMK, who addressed protestors, condemned Kerala’s stand and raised slogans against Kerala CM Oommen Chandy and former CM V S Achuthanandan. The protestors also burnt an effigy of Chandy. Owing to the protest, vehicles coming from the TN side on the Nagercoil -Thiruvananthapuram Highway were stopped at Kuzhithurai junction and diverted through other routes.Meanwhile, tight security was in place at Injivilai across the border and no vehicles were allowed to enter TN via the route. Traffic from Kerala was diverted from Parasala. Shops and other business establishments at  Kaliyakkavilai remained closed. Firms run by Keralites in Marthandam also downed shutters.