The Union government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is usurping the States’ rights. The ‘One Nation, One Registration’ proposal further infringes on the States’ rights over their revenue. The Centre ‘boycotted’ Tamil Nadu in the Union Budget and while providing disaster relief funds, Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin has said.
While campaigning via videoconference for the urban local bodies elections in Kanniyakumari district, Mr. Stalin accused the BJP government at the Centre of not providing flood relief funds and GST refunds due to the State.
“Already, GST has taken away the States’ revenue. Now, the Union government is planning to usurp the funds raised by the States through registration, which is one of the most important avenues for revenue generation. What are they [Union government] trying to achieve? Are they attempting to take over and seize the States’ finances? How will the States run their governments? How will they protect their citizens,” Mr. Stalin asked.
The Chief Minister said that despite several representations having been made to the Prime Minister and Union Ministers and in Parliament, the Union government had not released ₹6,230 crore in disaster relief funds sought by the Tamil Nadu government. The State, he said, had provided detailed reports while requesting the funds. On December 29, he had written to the Prime Minister on the issue.“Today is February 11. We have not got any funds from the Union government. Since we are in the midst of a pandemic, there is already a financial crunch. The State has a responsibility to provide relief to people who have lost their livelihoods. Is it just on the part of the Union government to delay the release of the funds,” he asked. Mr. Stalin further accused the BJP government of ‘boycotting’ Tamil Nadu in the Union Budget, and the Indian Railways of avoiding projects benefitting Tamil Nadu.
“I am saying all this for the local bodies elections because they have reduced the fertilizer subsidy, food subsidy and even the funds for MGNREGS with the aim of ensuring that the poor don’t have even a single paisa,” he alleged.
He also urged the Union government to take up the issues of the continuing arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and the Sri Lankan government’s plan to auction the boats of Indian fishermen.
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Stalin said, “Mr. Modi keeps quoting Tirukkural, thinking he can fool the Tamil people. But he is completely boycotting Tamil Nadu. Where are the GST refunds? Where are the disaster relief funds? Where are the schemes for Tamil Nadu? Where is the importance for Tamil language? You will not answer any of these questions. But you think you can fool the Tamil people with just one word - ‘Vanakkam’. Tamil people cannot be fooled.”
