Chennai: Ahead of the NITI Aayog meeting, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party government over the Union Budget and said that the budget seems like a “vengeful act” against the States and people who boycotted the BJP.
Stalin’s remarks were made ahead of the 9th NITI Aayog’s Governing Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister released a self-made video of Stalin ahead of the meeting in which he said the Union Government continued to engage in actions that were contrary to “progressive thoughts.”
“Vanakkam! I was supposed to attend the ‘NITI Aayog’ meeting currently being held in Delhi, chaired by the Prime Minister. However, I am compelled to speak before you, in the people’s forum, seeking justice due to the discriminatory attitude towards Tamil Nadu reflected in Union Budget 2024,” Stalin said.
“You are all well aware of the progressive and visionary schemes of your Dravidian Model Government in Tamil Nadu, which have been implemented over the past three years! The benefits of our government schemes directly reach every family–every citizen! This is why the DMK is achieving continuous success! “New schemes everyday, people’s heart filled with joy” This is the motto of our government! Yet, the Union Government continues to engage in actions that are contrary to our progressive thoughts,” Stalin said.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister further said that the Union government continued to disregard Tamil Nadu. “I often say, ‘A good government is one that works not only for the people who voted in favour of us but also for those who did not.’
This is how the Tamil Nadu government functions! All the Union Governments before Modi-led BJP Government were like this. But that magnanimity is missing with Modi’s BJP Government. They run the government with political motive.
The budget presented on July 23 is evidence of this! “In the recently held parliamentary elections, the people of various states defeated the anti-people BJP. The Budget presented by Union Finance Minister seems like a vengeful act against the States and people who boycotted the BJP.
Instead of preparing a budget for the welfare of all Indians, she has prepared a budget to take revenge against those who voted for the INDIA bloc.
This goes against the oath of office she took swearing allegiance to the Constitution! The Union BJP Government is disregarding Tamil Nadu continuously! The only special project they have announced for Tamil Nadu in all these years is AIIMS at Madurai.
But you know very well what the situation is even after a decade!” Stalin said. Stalin further stated that without providing special schemes to the state, how could they expect the people of Tamil Nadu to vote for the BJP “I do not understand how they expect the people of Tamil Nadu to vote for the BJP without announcing any special schemes for the state! This is the third successive term for the BJP government! However, the people of India did not give a majority to that party this time! Without the support of a few regional parties, the BJP could not have formed the government!,” Stalin said.
“In such a situation, I thought that the BJP would realise the reason for their decline and expected a change of heart! But only disappointment prevails! Even two days before the budget, I made the needs of Tamil Nadu clear to the Union Government through social media.
Nevertheless, the finance minister did not make any announcements on my demands! On top everything, not even the word ‘Tamil Nadu’ found a place in the budget! In the past, they at least used to recite a Thirukkural for namesake. It seems they got bitter with Thiruvalluvar also this time,” he said.
“In a way, I am relieved that there is no Thirukkural in this (discriminatory) budget. One thing I highly anticipated from this budget was the fund allocation for Chennai Metro Rail Project’s second phase. It is a project for which Union Home Minister Amit Shah hastily laid the foundation stone in the midst of Covid pandemic in 2020.
It was announced in the Union Budget of 2021 that the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Union Government will jointly implement this project at a cost of 63,000 crore rupees.