Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday wrote a letter to his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan stating that he extends full support towards the legal steps taken by the Kerala government against the Centre for allegedly squeezing central funds to the state.
This comes amid a growing chorus amongst leaders of the ruling LDF in Kerala to protest against the Centre in Delhi on February 8.
Stalin also stated in the letter that DMK would take part in the protest organised by the LDF government in the national capital. DMK leaders will be wearing black clothes as a mark of protest.
"Our voice will not rest until we establish cooperative federalism and retrieve state autonomy," said Stalin.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister urged Pinarayi Vijayan, Mamata Banerjee, him and other leaders who believe strongly in the Indian Constitution to stand together in demanding state autonomy.
“The Fascist BJP can never extinguish the fire of the state autonomy slogan. We will uphold the rights of the states in finance, administration etc. The time for it has come,” he added.
Speaking to India Today TV, DMK spokesperson A Saravanan said, "We are facing a dire crisis. We had two successive cyclones in unimaginable proportion that have devastated the north and southern parts of the state. We wanted the funds to be released. But, the Centre is dragging its feet. They are subsidising every other state instead of Tamil Nadu."
"If the state has financial autonomy, we are not going to ask the Centre. We are not given money. Even at the time of crisis we are not given funds," the DMK Spokesperson said.
Earlier in December, the Kerala government approached the Supreme Court against borrowing limits imposed by the Centre which indirectly interfere in the fiscal management of states. The LDF government claimed that the Centre is taking away the rights of the state.
Published By:
Vadapalli Nithin Kumar
Published On:
Feb 6, 2024
English (US) ·