Reporter's Diary: When Cauvery water vindicated a Minister

CHENNAI: In times of distress, the value systems of even the most determined and well-reasoned person could be tested or shaken. And it need not be personal either.

Even the high and mighty of the Tamil Nadu politics could be put under strain when it mattered politically the most, as was the case with of State Irrigation Minister Duraimurugan recently.

The veteran politician let his rational veil slip briefly when he parried queries from the anxious media on the Cauvery Water row. Evading a query on the doubtful outcome of Tamil Nadu’s petition before the Supreme Court on Cauvery Water release, Duraimurugan said, “Don’t sound un-prophetic.”

An otherwise rational Duraimurugan mockingly made the terse statement when a reporter asked him what if the Apex court does not give a favourable ruling to Tamil Nadu on September 21 on the Cauvery Water release issue.

Unsurprisingly, netizens did not go easy on his mocking reply on the vexatious riparian dispute. They went to town over the minister momentarily forgetting his rational credentials and sounding prophetic, though it appeared to be done on a humorous note, for the sake of the water-dependent farmers. Thankfully, his confidence or faith, call it whatever, did not got in vain.

Duraimurugan stood vindicated a few days later on Monday when the Cauvery Water Management Authority directed Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for the next 15 days.