MADURAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin has issued a clarion call for uniting all parties to dethrone the BJP from power so as to protect federalism in the country.
He was addressing a special seminar on ‘Federalism is the strength of India’ at the CPM’s 24th party congress here on Thursday.
“All the parties should unite together for the welfare of the people, and federalism will flourish only if the BJP government is removed from the centre,” Stalin said, adding that the DMK is ready to join hands with leaders like Prakash Karat (interim coordinator of CPM politburo) who are working towards it.
Stalin mocked the BJP saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led ruling party at the centre “is allergic to the word federalism”.
“Some external forces are trying to drive a wedge between the DMK and the CPM. We are having an alliance for creating a socialist state. However, the BJP-led government at the centre has an allergy to the word ‘federalism’,” said Stalin.
With Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan by his side at the event, Stalin said that Tamil Nadu and Kerala were the worst-affected states because of the central government’s actions.
“When Modi was CM of Gujarat in 2012, he had insisted on implementing Sarkaria Commission’s recommendations. What efforts Modi as PM has taken for implementing the recommendations. I need an answer from the PM,” Stalin said, adding that the central government is looting the states’ power by imposing taxes like GST.
Stalin termed Madurai a red city with the red flags of the CPM. “It brings me immense happiness because half of the DMK’s flag is red. There is an ideological bond between the Dravidian movement and the communist movement.”
In his address, Pinarayi Vijayan said, “A state government can’t act as an advertisement agency of the central government. It is against democracy. The centre invariably interferes in all matters of the states, including taxes, appointments of vice-chancellors in universities. RSS movements are slowly showing their dominance in higher educational institutions.”
Karnataka Minister for Higher Education M C Sudhakar accused the BJP-led centre of taking revenge against opposition-ruled states by not releasing funds even if the states faced natural disasters.