Kerala and Tamil Nadu have joined their neighbouring states of Karnataka in protesting against the BJP-led Centre over alleged discrimination and neglect in the allocation of funds. Kerala’s Left Front and Tamil Nadu’s DMK will stage protests in Delhi on Thursday against the matter.
Kerala’s Left Front agitation will be led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and it will be supported by his Tamil Nadu counterpart and DMK supremo MK Stalin. The Left front ministers, parliamentarians, and legislators will also participate in the protest that will commence at 11 am in the national capital.
On Wednesday, Karnataka Congress veteran and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accompanied by his deputy DK Shivakumar and other state ministers staged a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over the alleged injustice to southern states in devolution of taxes.
MK Stalin had, on Tuesday (February 6), written a letter to Pinarayi Vijayan stating that he extends full support towards Kerala government’s legal measures against the central government for allegedly releasing the funds allocated to the state. In the letter, he also said that DMK would take part in the agitation and the party leaders would be wearing black clothes.
“Our voice will not rest until we establish cooperative federalism and retrieve state autonomy,” the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said.
The DMK’s ‘black shirt’ demonstration will be led by senior leader TR Baalu near the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex. The protest is against the central government’s “non-allocation of requisite funds to Tamil Nadu in the Interim Budget 2024-25”.
MK Stalin’s party said there was no announcement on Tamil Nadu’s representation seeking relief to the tune of nearly Rs 37,000 crore, following floods due to unprecedented rain in December 2023. “Also, there was no announcement in the interim budget on fund allocation for Tamil Nadu’s development projects, including establishment of the AIIMS in Madurai,” the DMK said.
DMK MP TR Baalu said the party MPs from alliance parties, including the Congress, have been requested to join the stir in Delhi today.
Tune In
#Kerala #Tamil #Nadu #join #Karnataka #protest #funds #allocation #Delhi #today
