Coming down heavily on the Tamil Nadu budget presented by Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary G. Balakrishnan termed it anti-people and anti-development exercise.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, he said that it was highly condemnable that the government’s borrowings was on the rise that the figure almost touched a whopping ₹4 lakh crore for which it had to cough up an interest of ₹33000 crore.
There was nothing for the economically weaker sections that could help improve their standards of living. Even though various parties and the public have been demanding relief for those affected in the Gaja cyclone, the Finance Minister has not provided any tangible relief for them in the budget, he said.
Though, the AIADMK has slammed the BJP for neglecting Tamil Nadu’s interests and even announced in the budget the non-release of its share of GST tax among other funds due from the Centre, the party has planned to join hands with the BJP to face the Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Balakrishnan said.
“This is nothing but a conspiracy and the voters should not get trapped. The elections, will provide a very good opportunity for the people to show them the doors”, Mr. Balakrishnan said and added that the Finance Minister had not addressed anything that would give jobs to about one crore unemployed graduates in the State.
The sufferings of fireworks units workers in Virudhunagar district has not been taken up by the State government. “Is it not the duty of the government to ensure the welfare of the poor workers who have been rendered jobless for over two months now. The government is accountable and cannot pass the buck”, the Communist leader said.
During the teachers’ strike, both Mr. Panneerselvam and Fisheries Minister Jayakumar said that they cannot bring back the old pension scheme as demanded by the JACTTO-GEO. “However, now, they are claiming to reconsider this. Such double standards shouldn’t be spared at all”, Mr. Balakrishnan charged.
Likewise, in the Sterlite issue too, the Tamil Nadu government had enacted a drama. Giving an impression that it was for closing the unit and that it stood by the people, it had not taken ample steps for this to take place. “In the event of Sterlite getting a favourable verdict, the State government will tell the people that it had to honour the court’s diktat,” he added.
