Thoothukudi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin came down strongly on the BJP-led Union government, saying that it has not released the funds for natural disaster relief. He called Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman "arrogant", without taking her name, PTI reported.
Speaking at an event where he distributed financial assistance to beneficiaries whose livelihoods were hit by the heavy rainfall and flooding in Thoothukludi, Stalin reminded that Tamil Nadu had to face two natural disasters in December 2023 and it had sought Rs 37,000 crore assistance from the Centre as disaster relief.
He alleged: "Funds did not come from the Union government. Not only that, they don't have any fear that they have to face the people as polls (Lok Sabha) are round the corner, and the Union government and the Union Finance Minister are indifferent."
In a reference to Nirmala Sitharaman without naming her explicitly, Stalin claimed that she had said in an interview (when asked about matters related to funds for Tamil Nadu) with arrogance that Tamil Nadu could handle the matter if it had shrewdness. "This does not befit the post she holds," Stalin said.
The Chief Minister said that it was with this shrewdness that the DMK regime had 'transformed' Tamil Nadu into the top-ranking state in the country.
World-famous companies are heading to the state to make investments, he said, adding that such firms picked Tamil Nadu only because of the state's growth and potential.
During the north-east monsoon in December, Tamil Nadu endured cyclone Michaung, extremely heavy rainfall and floods. It resulted in damage to crops and civic infrastructure and loss of lives.
During the record rainfall that hit Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Kanyakumari districts, several lives were lost, and many were rendered homeless as normal life came to a standstill at the time.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M Appavu, DMK MP Kanimozhi, Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management Thangam Thennarasu and senior government officials were present on the occasion.