Madurai, Apr 13 (PTI) Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan today hit out at political parties, including DMK, over their protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tamil Nadu, saying they were resorting to such acts only to cover up their 'betrayal' of the state's interest on the Cauvery issue.

"The DMK was ruling the state uttering all lies. They were mainly responsible for the fall of the Tamils on all fronts... Now they wanted to divide and split the society and come to power," he told reporters here.

DMK and others were staging protests only to cover up their "betrayal of Tamil Nadu's interests, the Union Minister of State said, requesting the main opposition party to allow the people live peacefully.

The BJP, on the other hand, wanted the nation to develop and thought of the wellbeing of the nation as a whole, he claimed.

Citing the Centre's 'inaction' over settting up the Cauvery Management Board, the DMK and several parties had yesterday staged black flag demonstrations protesting against the visit of Modi to the city for inaugurating the DefExpo.

He said the rights of Tamil Nadu on the cauvery river should be established and the solution should be permanent one.

The BJP had been pitching for linking all the rivers of the nation, he added.

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