TN farmers' woes: Stalin terms Palaniswami govt as PM Modi's 'proxy regime'

Explained reasons for calling a state-wide bandh on April 25 in support of the drought-hit farmers

DMK working president M K Stalin Saturday dubbed the K Palaniswami government as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "proxy regime", and alleged that it was not fighting to secure the Tamil Nadu's rights.

Several chief ministers fight for their respective the rights of their states and it has been the case in the past as well, he said adding it was, however, not the case with Tamil Nadu.

"This regime, proxy regime, pardon me, Modi's proxy regime, is not bothered about anything," he said at a public meeting to explain the reasons for calling a state-wide bandh on April 25 in support of the drought-hit farmers.

He took a swipe at the Palaniswami regime for "not taking action" in stalling NEET, the Hydrocarbon project and getting constituted the Cauvery Management Board.

Stalin alleged that the ryots and the public were affected due to the inter-state river water disputes and action was not taken by the state government to address it.

Also, the state did not act to get relief from the Centre for the present drought, the last year's cyclone and the floods of 2015.

While the state government had demanded a total relief of Rs 88,050 crore which comprises Rs 39,565 crore for the drought, Rs 22,579 crore for cyclone and Rs 25,912 crore for floods he said the Centre had sanctioned only a total of Rs 2,014 crore, he claimed.

Taking potshots at Palaniswami for removing red beacons from vehicles after "Modi had ordered it", he asked why the incumbent regime did not show such resoluteness in getting the Rs 88,050 crore relief from the BJP-regime.

Hitting out at the state government on farmers' protests, he said tomorrow, when Palaniswami reaches Delhi, the farmers should ask him if he could arrange a meeting with the prime minister and then call off their stir to take part in the April 25 bandh, he said.

Stalin had earlier in the day appealed to the farmers to defer their agitation and take part in the bandh.

He said the Prime Minister did not have the heart to even meet the Tamil Nadu ryots protesting in Delhi for the last 40 days, leave alone fulfilling their demands.

"Both the present Chief Minister Palaniswami and the then chief minister Panneerselvam's regimes pledged the entire Tamil Nadu with the BJP government at the Centre, with Modi," he said, adding they will never allow "communal forces," to gain foothold in the state, "come what may".

The proposed bandh and bringing together opposition parties was not for stitching a political alliance but it was only for the welfare of farmers and people, he claimed.

In a separate statement, he strongly opposed a proposal to request dignitaries, including the President and union ministers, to deliver their speeches only in Hindi.

He said the Modi regime should not turn "India into a Hindi nation," and sow the seeds for another anti-Hindi agitation.

Large scale anti-Hindi agitations were witnessed in 1960's in Tamil Nadu which led to the ascendance of Dravidian parties easing out Congress from power.

He alleged that ever since the BJP-led regime assumed power in the Centre it was imposing Hindi and Sanskrit in as many forms as possible.

The DMK has also announced that it would hold its district secretaries meet on April 28.