The first Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting on delimitation commenced here on Saturday with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin in the chair. The meeting witness the participation of 14 leaders from at least five states and they would deliberate on the 'threat' posed by the Lok Sabha seats delimitation exercise to states with high economic growth and literacy. The opposition BJP, which staged a black flag protest, slammed Stalin for not convening similar meetings on the Cauvery and Mullaiperiar water-sharing disputes with Karnataka and Kerala, respectively. BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan described the meeting as "corruption hiding meeting" by the respective leaders. Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said, "at any cost, we cannot let down our country and our seats to be reduced." He claimed South India had always upheld the census regulations and family planning policies, making it a progressive region. "Economically and in terms of literacy, we have ...
RSS slams attempts to stoke north-south divide
Malaviya claimed that the ED has unearthed documents revealing bribes worth Rs 1,000 crore and asked Stalin to reveal who received the illegal payments
Tamil Nadu is projected to grow over 8% in 2024-25, driven by policy reforms, infrastructure development, and economic diversification
Kanimozhi, the MP from Lok Sabha constituency Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, said the Union Minister's remarks were undemocratic and demanded an apology
Tamil Nadu has long opposed Hindi imposition, arguing it threatens linguistic identity. With past protests turning violent, the state's resistance remains firm as tensions with the Centre escalate
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday proposed a Joint Action Committee comprising MPs and party representatives from southern states at an all party meeting on Lok Sabha seats delimitation here. Moving a resolution, Stalin said that in the event of increase in the number of seats in Parliament, 1971 Census should be the basis for it. Also, the 1971 Census should be basis for delimitation of LS seats for 30 years from 2026, he asserted. The all party meeting is expected to pass a resolution on the issue of delimitation. Principal opposition party AIADMK, the Congress and Left parties, actor-politician Vijay's TVK among others attended the meeting which was boycotted by the BJP, Tamil nationalist Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) and former union minister GK Vasan's Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar). The ruling DMK has been staunchly opposing the delimitation exercise, with party president and chief minister Stalin claiming it will lead to reduced LS seats in TN. He has wondered
MNM President Kamal Haasan accuses Centre of trying to consolidate power in Hindi-speaking states under the guise of delimitation
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday alleged that the BJP-led union government paid mere lip service to Tamil language for the sake of votes and dubbed the ruling party at the Centre as Tamil's "enemy." Writing to party workers as part of his series on the theme of "all-time opposition to Hindi imposition," Stalin recalled DMK founder leader C N Annadurai's views on the issue. Decades ago, Anna had said that the party's objective is not to oppose Hindi, but to get equal recognition to Indian languages including Tamil. While the BJP claims that Prime Minister Narendra Modi held Tamil in high esteem and that the 3-language formula is for the growth of languages of the states, the difference in allocation of funds for Tamil and Sanskrit would make it pretty clear that they are "enemies" of Tamil, Stalin alleged. As per the Union Education ministry's data, during the period between 2014 and 2023, the union government allotted Rs 2,435 crore to the Central Sanskrit Universit
Targeting the BJP-led Centre over alleged Hindi imposition, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin on Tuesday wondered why the union government has not facilitated setting up of an institution to teach Tamil or other south Indian languages to people of states in north India. Writing to party workers as part of his series on the theme of "all-time opposition to Hindi imposition" Stalin said, Google Translate, Chat GPT and Artificial Intelligence help people overcome language issues and it would be beneficial for students to learn only necessary technology and imposing a language shall only be a burden to them. The DMK chief said Gandhiji believed that people of southern states learning Hindi and those in northern states learning one of the southern languages would pave the way for national unity and the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha was founded to fulfil the wish of Father of the nation. "Gandhi himself had taken part in programmes in the sabha's headquarters in
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday turned 72 and the DMK President underlined his commitment to state autonomy, two-language policy and opposition to Hindi imposition as his birthday message. Stalin, who cut a cake with his family members and party workers, administered to cadres an oath of "one goal" which is to protect the interests of Tamil Nadu and oppose Hindi imposition at all times to come. "Tamil Nadu poradum, Tamil Nadu Vellum," (Tamil Nadu will fight, Tamil Nadu will win) Stalin said, which was repeated by party workers. "Anna Arivalayam," the DMK headquarters here wore a festive look as party cadres and office-bearers turned up in large numbers to greet their party chief. "Dravida Nayagar," (Dravidian Hero) was among the phrases used by DMK workers and supporters to greet Stalin on social media. The Dravidian party chief underscored the principles of state autonomy, opposition to Hindi imposition, and commitment to two-language policy as his birthday message
Stalin pressed that the constituency delimitation state's self-respect, social justice, and welfare schemes for the people
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday denied any injustice to Tamil Nadu by the Centre as claimed by M K Stalin over fund allocation and described as diversionary attempts, the Chief Minister raking up the delimitation issue. Refuting Stalin's claims, Shah said the Narendra Modi government has provided Rs 5,08,337 crore to the state during the 2014-24 period. Also, he accused Stalin of spreading a misinformation campaign on the delimitation exercise. Seeking to put to rest speculation on the subject, he asserted no southern state including Tamil Nadu would see a reduction in the Parliamentary representation when delimitation will be done on pro-rata basis. Lashing out at the ruling DMK dispensation on the 'failure' of law and order in the state, Shah, speaking after inaugurating the BJP party office here, said "the anti-national tendency is at all-time high in Tamil Nadu." "Tamil Nadu government provided security during the last journey of 1998 bomb blast accused and mastermin
The ruling DMK has been a vocal critic of the three-language policy, insisting that Tamil Nadu will continue with Tamil and English
Expressing concern over the 'alarming' rise in arrest of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan navy, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday urged the Centre to immediately convene the Joint Working Group to find a permanent solution to the issue. The CM wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, flagging the latest detention of 32 Indian fishermen and five boats by the Lankan navy. "I write this letter with a sense of deep anguish as the number of incidents of apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy have risen alarmingly in the recent times. In the latest incident, 32 fishermen have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on 23.02.2025 along with their five mechanised fishing boats...these fishermen had ventured for fishing from the Rameswaram fishing harbour on 22.02.2025," Stalin said in his letter. The apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy are still continuing in large numbers inspite of his repeated requests to prevail
The latest row erupted after the Centre withheld Rs 2,150 crore meant for Tamil Nadu after the MK Stalin-led government refused to implement the NEP in the state
The Tamil Nadu BJP chief assured that the students will not be forced to learn a particular language, instead they can choose any one language they would want
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday attacked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin over the ongoing row on the implementation of NEP and accused him of "spinning progressive reforms into threats to sustain political narratives". In a letter to Stalin, Pradhan said the Tamil Nadu CM should rise above political differences and think about the interests of young learners who will benefit from the new National Education Policy. The education minister was responding to the letter Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. In his letter, Stalin said linking the two centrally sponsored initiatives -- Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and PM SHRI Schools -- with the National Education Policy (NEP) was fundamentally unacceptable. In his letter to the Tamil Nadu CM, Pradhan said, "The letter sent to PM is a complete negation of the spirit of cooperative federalism promoted by Modi government. Hence, it is inappropriate for the state to view NEP 2020 with a myopic ..
Reiterating that linking the two different Centrally sponsored SSA and PM SHRI Schools initiatives was fundamentally unacceptable, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the immediate release of Rs 2,152 crore of Samagra Shiksha funds for the state. The Prime Minister should intervene in the interest of cooperative federalism and welfare of lakhs of students and teachers, he said. "To dissipate the unrest caused due to this issue, Rs 2,152 crores of Samagra Shiksha funds for Tamil Nadu for 2024-25 may be released immediately, without linking it to the implementation of National Education Programme (NEP) 2020. Considering the sensitivity of the issue, I look forward to your personal intervention in this regard, Stalin said in a letter addressed to Modi. He expressed deep concern' over the recent remarks of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan indicating that SSA funds for Tamil Nadu would not be released until the state ..
Wondering if it was enough if Tamil Nadu remained only on India map but not figure in the Union Budget, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday slammed the Centre with his halwa' jibe, a Tamil expression of the sweet delicacy to mean deception. During his visit to this southern district, the Chief Minister said Tirunelveli was known for its world famous sweet: halwa. But the Centre's halwa being given to the states is all the more famous, Stalin said strongly criticising the BJP-led government for allegedly not allocating funds to the Tamil Nadu. Speaking at a state government event here, he said the December 2023 unprecedented rain ravaged Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi districts. Though two Central Ministers visited the flood-hit areas, they didn't facilitate any relief to Tamil Nadu, he claimed. Pointing to the BJP legislator Nainar Nagendran, Stalin said he should not get offended if he (CM) faulted the Centre on fund allocation. Nainar Nagendran knows everything