CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should spell out what central schemes the state government has "blocked", and said those it opposed include NEET and the CAA, keeping public welfare in mind.
Responding to Modi’s claim that there was lack of cooperation from the DMK government in implementing schemes, the CM said Modi is slandering DMK and the state government due to his fear and anger over the prospect of losing the LS poll.
In a letter addressed to DMK cadres on the eve of his birthday, Stalin said, “Modi should have specified the projects that were being obstructed by the DMK administration instead of making superficial and generalised allegations. Did we block the opening of AIIMS in Madurai? Did we stand in the way of metro rail projects? Let him tell us for which central projects did we not allocate land.” Stalin said the DMK was opposing only schemes like NEET, farm bills, the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Education Policy since they were against the interests of the people.
“Modi, who heads a heartless government that denies grants to states, prevents borrowing, doesn’t sanction even flood relief money, has no right to criticise DMK,” he said.
Responding to Modi’s remarks that DMK had to be driven away from TN, Stalin termed the remarks as demeaning to the position of PM. He said he would not wish the same for the BJP as DMK believed in BJP’s right to function as a party in a democratic arena. TN’s political history would show what happened to those who wanted to destroy the DMK, Stalin said.
‘Change of guard at centre would be a sweet birthday gift for me’
“My wishes for the BJP, which was not able to be a good ruling party in the past, to function at least as a good opposition party in the future,” the CM quipped. “Today, the DMK has the duty to defeat fascism and communalism to uphold democracy and pluralism in the Lok Sabha polls and to ensure the victory of the INDIA bloc.
DMK cadres should strive to win all 40 LS seats — 39 in TN and lone Puducherry seat. A change of guard at the centre would be a sweet birthday gift for me,” Stalin said. Responding to the CM’s remark regarding the PM’s frequent visits to Tamil Nadu, BJP state unit president K Annamalai said the PM has been visiting Tamil Nadu to inaugurate completed projects and lay the foundation for new projects worth thousands of crores.
“Refusing to implement PM Shri Schools and National Education Policy, preventing union government from laying NH in TN, withholding funds intended for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare, and diverting funds allocated to panchayats are some issues that show DMK government’s obstructive attitude towards central schemes,” he said.
