Tirunelveli: Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin claimed that during his election campaign in Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not even offer consolation to the state's flood-affected citizens. Stalin said that the state government intends to file a case in the Supreme Court to guarantee that the state receives the relief fund from the central government.
The CM while taking part in the public meeting organised in Nanguneri to introduce the Congress candidates said, “Voting for the BJP is voting against the development of Tamil Nadu.”
“During the calamities, it’s the cash-strapped state government that engaged its ministers in the relief activities. We ensured that there was no outbreak of any communicable diseases by organising more than 2,500 special camps and that the farmers were getting relief funds. I visited Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi in December last year and distributed welfare measures worth Rs 118.89 crore to the flood-affected people in Thoothukudi in February 2024," Stalin said, the New Indian Express reported.
"We had asked for a Rs 37,000 crore relief fund from the Central government. However, the Centre did not give us any funds. We approached the Supreme Court demanding clearance of bills by the Governor RN Ravi and the governor’s acceptance to re-induct K Ponmudy as minister and got favourable orders. Soon we will move the Supreme Court demanding the flood relief fund from the Central government,” he added.
The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman came under fire from the DMK President for referring to Tamils who receive financial aid from the state government as beggars. “The welfare schemes are implemented with public money. The government must help the people when they are in need. Another BJP minister Shobha Karandlaje called Tamils terrorists. They are sowing seeds of hatred,” Stalin accused.
He went on to say that "peaceful India" would become restless if Modi were to become prime minister once more, citing the violence in Manipur. Stalin added that in its ten years in office, the Modi administration has not introduced any schemes to Tamil Nadu.
“When DMK MPs were in UPA’s cabinet, they brought 11 % of Central funds to Tamil Nadu. The road, railway, metro, health and water resource projects were implemented in Tamil Nadu. However, Modi cannot list any schemes like this. Madurai AIIMS, the only project that his government announced, is yet to get shape. Even his own eyes will not believe the tears that he is shedding for Tamil Nadu. In the past 10 years, about 3,000 fishermen from the state have been arrested by the Sri Lankan navy. The fishermen lost their boats and nets to them,” he added.
The CM further blamed Edappadi K Palaniswami for not condemning the activities of the prime minister. “If the INDIA alliance will form the Union government, Tirunelveli railway division, comprising Tenkasi, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari districts, will be created."
Stalin had earlier introduced the candidates for the Tirunelveli Congress (C Robert Bruce), the Kanniyakumari Congress (Vijay Vasanth), and the Vilavancode Assembly Constituency Congress (Dr. Tharahai Cuthbert) during the public gathering.