THOOTHUKUDI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday slammed the BJP regime at the Centre saying it did not release funds to tackle natural disasters, and labelled the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman "arrogant" without naming her explicitly.
Handing over financial assistance to beneficiaries whose livelihoods were hit by the heavy rainfall and flooding here, the Chief Minister said the state had to face two natural disasters in December 2023, and Tamil Nadu had sought Rs 37,000 crore assistance from the Centre to tackle the situation.
He alleged: "Funds did not come from the Union government. Not only that, they don't have any fear that they have to face the people as polls (Lok Sabha) are round the corner; and the Union government and the Union Finance Minister are indifferent."
In a reference to Nirmala Sitharaman without naming her explicitly, Stalin claimed that she had said in an interview (when asked about matters related to funds for Tamil Nadu) with arrogance that Tamil Nadu could handle the matter if it had shrewdness.
"This does not befit the post she holds," Stalin said.
The Chief Minister said that it was with this shrewdness that the DMK regime has 'transformed' Tamil Nadu into the top-ranking state in the country.
World-famous companies are heading to the state to make investments, he said adding that such firms picked Tamil Nadu only because of the state's growth and potential.
During the north-east monsoon in December, Tamil Nadu endured cyclone Michaung, extremely heavy rainfall and floods.
It resulted in damage to crops, and civic infrastructure and loss of lives.
During the record rainfall that hit Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts, several lives were lost and many were rendered homeless as normal life came to a standstill at the time.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M Appavu, DMK MP Kanimozhi, Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management Thangam Thennarasu and senior government officials were present on the occasion.