Stalin hits out at Centre, pushes for state’s rights

TAmil Nadu chief government minister and DMK chairwoman M K joseph stalin in his independency daylight speech said state governments are closer to the people, and need greater power but with Union laws, court judgments, and discrimination in devolution of funds, states are being pushed into dependence on the Union Government.“In the last few years, we have seen many attempts by the Union government to take away rights of the state governments in various sectors. State rights in key areas such as education and healthcare are instead being continuously eroded,” Stalin said, speaking at Fort St. George in Chennai on Friday after hoisting the national flag. “The only solution to overcome this is to take political and legal steps to restore the role of state governments and devolution of power and funds.”That a state government has to always struggle, argue and file court cases to get its rightful funds from the Centre does not augur well for federalism, the chief minister said.“After 14 years, in our Dravidian model regime, Tamil Nadu’s economic growth has increased to 11.9 per cent and has touched a great new high,” he said and reiterated that the southern state is the fastest developing economy in India. Such a growth was not shared by any other big state.”The nation’s growth rate itself is 6.5 per cent. However, Tamil Nadu has achieved 11.19 per cent growth,” he added.The CM conferred the Thagaisal Thamizhar (Distinguished Tamilian) Award on Indian Union Muslim League leader, 85-year old KM Khader Mohideen at the I-Day event. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan was presented with the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award. Awards under several other categories were also presented.Stalin who boycotted governor R N Ravi’s ‘at home’ reception hosted in the Raj Bhavan on Independence Day over his attack on the ruling party, reiterated his criticism of the BJP-led Union government. “It is not good for the federal principles of India for states to always have to fight, argue and file lawsuits to get its due funds. This will affect the development of the state as well as India,” Stalin said.A day ago, on Thursday, Stalin had decided to boycott the event at Raj Bhavan after the governor tore into the ruling DMK in his customary speech delivered on the eve of Independence Day, adding to the already soured relationship between governor Ravi and the Tamil Nadu government.DMK’s allies, Congress, CPI (M), CPI, Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK), also boycotted the event to protest against the governor, who they alleged, was acting against the interests of the state.The governor charged that the state is facing four major challenges– educational and social discrimination of the poor and marginalised; alarming rise in suicides; fast spreading drug abuse among youth; and steep rise in rape and other sexual offences against women and girls.Since Ravi became governor in 2021, he has been in loggerheads with the government over myriad issues by supporting policies of the BJP-led Centre such as NEP, NEET, walking out of the assembly without reading his customary speech and omitting portions of the speech prepared by the state, changing the name of Tamil Nadu to Tamizhagam in a public invitation released by the Raj Bhavan.But, it was his sitting on bills passed by the state legislation that led the government to move court against him based on which the Supreme Court in a landmark verdict on April 8 set deadlines for the President and governors to clear the bills passed by state legislatures. The top court also found governor Ravi’s action keeping bills pending as illegal. President Droupadi Murmu on May 13 put forth 14 questions before the Supreme Court on constitutionality of its April 8 verdict.In response on Thursday, higher education minister Govi Chezhiaan said that the governor’s actions as chancellor is the reason for many state universities functioning without vice chancellors. He announced that he will boycott two convocations at Alagappa University and Thiruvalluvar University to be held on August 18 and 19 while the chief minister will skip the governor’s event.(With inputs from PTI)