In an attempt to bring together political parties wedded to the anti-BJP ideology, the Viduthali Chiruthaikal Katchi (VCK) has organised a conference to highlight the relevance of State autonomy tentatively on September 17.
VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan on Wednesday met DMK working president M.K. Stalin and invited him for the conference. “He has agreed to participate and appreciated our efforts since it was DMK leader M. Karunanidhi who conceived the concept of autonomy for the States and federalism at the Centre in 1969 itself. Mr. Stalin has also asked us to invite like-minded parties for the event,” Mr. Thirumavalavan told The Hindu.
Asked whether the idea was to form an alliance against the BJP, Mr. Thirumavalavan said it was his desire that the effort should move in that direction.
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“I have also also plans to invite Chief Ministers of neighbouring States like Kerala, Karnataka and Puducherry. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has already launched a war against imposition of Hindi by urging the Centre to remove Hindi sign boards in Metro stations,” he said.
Though the VCK and the two Left parties are working closely with the DMK on common issues, the conference on State autonomy is expected to further strengthen their bond. “Today, all the power is concentrated at the Centre and States are at its mercy. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi shifted education from the State List to the Concurrent List during Emergency and we are paying the price. NEET is a great injustice to the State governments. The GST has also made State governments dependent on the Centre,” he said.
Mr. Thirumavalavan alleged that the BJP intended to dispense with regional political parties and was working hard to have a unitary government. “It wants to rule both the Centre and the States. It is a dangerous trend,” he said.
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