Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 23 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin took a sharp jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing the central government of creating "trouble for state administrations" and "refusing to allocate the rightful share" of funds.
The Chief Minister said that the politics in Tamil Nadu is the politics of social justice, and when compared with other Indian states, "Tamil Nadu stands foremost" in many fields.
Speaking at the National Seminar on Union-State Relations at Kalaivanar Arangam, the Chief Minister said, "I am happy to inaugurate the first National Conference on Union-State Relations in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu is one of the largest contributors of GST revenue to the Union Government. Yet, the Union Government, with narrow political motives, refuses to allocate to Tamil Nadu the rightful share of funds."
Stalin asserted that Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Punjab, and Kerala are states not under BJP rule and have been given "problems and trouble" by the Union government.
The Chief Minister said that for over a decade, Tamil Nadu has implemented the policy of reservations and enacted several progressive laws and schemes. The foundation for this was laid by the Dravidian movement.
"Despite severe financial restrictions, Tamil Nadu has achieved a growth rate of double-digit with 11.19% in 2024-25, the highest after 14 years. After Tamil Nadu's protests against the Union Government's imposition of Hindi, similar anti-Hindi agitations have been taking place across various states of India," Stalin added.
The Chief Minister further added that the principle of state autonomy within federalism is what strengthens both the unity and diversity of India. It is only through the efforts of self-reliant states that a united India can truly become strong.
"The Dravidian leaders worked tirelessly for noble principles such as equality, social justice, and women's rights. Both Anna and Kalaignar implemented various important schemes that uplifted people in every sphere of life," Stalin added.
Stalin said that the statehood of Kashmir was taken away, and opposition was raised against it. The Sarkaria Commission itself has stated that excessive centralisation of power causes anger at the Centre and despair in the States.