Prime Minister Narendra Modi neither liked the existence of States nor the Chief Ministers in the country, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin charged on Thursday, February 8, 2024. Unlike previous Prime Ministers who respected the States and their people, Mr. Modi thought of States as “Municipalities”, he contended.
“He [Mr. Modi] does not like [the existence of] States or that the States have Chief Ministers. In fact, he was Gujarat Chief Minister before becoming the Prime Minister. But, the first thing he did after becoming the Prime Minister was to snatch the rights of the States. He snatched the education rights, language rights and rights in terms of law,” Mr Stalin said virtually addressing the protest led by Kerala Chief Minister against the Centre in Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Mr. Stalin further charged that snatching the rights of States over finances was akin to stopping the oxygen and that the ruling BJP in the Centre was doing it.
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Mr. Vijayan was staging a protest against the “crippling financial embargo” on Kerala.
Contending that “all the States have been facing massive crunch in finances since the imposing of the GST regime,” Mr. Stalin said the Union government should act to remove the financial crunch. “But, its functions have not been towards it. They are creating obstacles for the States from borrowing loans to implement development measures.”
As the people expected the State governments to address their daily requirements but the “BJP government has been creating obstacles”, Mr. Stalin contended and further underlined that all the States could come together to oppose it. “Let us all in the INDIA bloc, unite and take over the Government of India to put a full stop to the fascist BJP. Let us create an India, which respects all the States equally.”
Mr. Stalin also warned the CMs of BJP ruled States. “The BJP Chief Ministers should not think it is happening to States that are ruled by the Opposition parties. I am warning you that this will be the fate of your States tomorrow,” Mr. Stalin said.
Tamil Nadu has been strongly protesting against the “autocratic” functions of the BJP government and Kerala CM Vijayan too has been protesting against it, Mr. Stalin said.
Referring to his return from Spain on Wednesday as the reason as to why he could not take part in the protest in the national capital, Mr. Stalin said he has deputed Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and MPs to take part. “It is regrettable that you, who is to serve the people in Kerala, had to come to Delhi to stage a protest,” he told Mr Vijayan.
Mr. Stalin said Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had staged a protest in Delhi on Wednesday and that DMK MPs have staged a protest in the national capital on Thursday. “All the States have been forced to stage protests over devolution of funds. On a day not far from now, the BJP should answer the people,” he said.
