CHENNAI : Lambasting the BJP-led Union Government on various counts, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday asserted that the alliance led by the DMK in Tamil Nadu would continue since it was based on ideologies and principles. Stalin’s remarks while addressing the ‘India @ 75 conclave’ in Thrissur, Kerala came as a strong clarification to the speculations that the bonhomie Stalin had displayed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of the 44th Chess Olympiad might translate into an alliance between the DMK and the BJP in future.
Though most of the charges levelled by Stalin against the BJP-led government at the Centre were not new, reiterating them and renewing the call for unitedly opposing the BJP’s efforts to ensure uniformity across India instead of unity among all, has reiterated the DMK’s commitment to building a united opposition to counter the BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. On Friday, addressing the students at the Anna University convocation, the Prime Minister hailed the National Education Policy. Countering this, Stalin on Saturday described NEP as a barrier to education. He also charged that the BJP has been attempting to run parallel governments, through its Governors.
“We have to govern our States, as we face all hurdles,” he said. Stating that the policies of the union government were anti-people, the Chief Minister said GST had robbed States of their fiscal autonomy while the compensation was not released on time and in full. Entrance examinations like NEET deny education to the oppressed.
“India isn’t just a single government. It is a union of many State governments. As such Union Government is not a wrong description since even our Constitution has this phrase. To safeguard India, we have to safeguard all States. We have to strengthen the following principles – federalism, State autonomy, secularism, equality, fraternity, socialism, and social justice. Protecting all these would mean protecting India,” Stalin said.
Referring to the famous quote of former Chief Minister CN Annadurai that uniformity is different from unity, Stalin asserted, “You cannot achieve unity by bringing Uniformity. A single language cannot become the national language of India because there are numerous languages in this country. ‘One Nation; One Faith Will not suit India since the people of India are practicing numerous faiths. There is no single culture for India since there are thousands of differences from food to clothing.”