DMK Protests Across Tamil Nadu Against "Discriminatory" Union Budget

The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu held protests across the state today alleging that the Union Budget was "discriminatory" against states that "boycotted" the BJP.

DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin accused Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of preparing a budget to "take revenge" against states which "boycotted" the BJP and voted for the INDIA alliance.

The DMK alliance swept the recent Lok Sabha polls winning all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu. 

The party criticised the budget for not allocating funds for the Rs 64,000 crore Chennai Metro Rail Phase II Project, announced in 2021, and ignoring the need for metro rail in Coimbatore and Madurai.

Instead, smaller cities received substantial assistance, Mr Stalin said.

MK Stalin also criticised the Centre's decision to not provide a Rs 37,000 crore package for damage from Cyclone Michaung and heavy rainfall, while releasing Rs 10,000 crore for NDA ally states.

Mr Stalin alleged that the Centre has not completed the Madurai AIIMS project even after 10 years and has held back SSA funds for schools in the state and that it is imposing the National Education Policy and Hindi to release funds.

The Finance Minister, meanwhile, has denied the allegations. The state BJP has said MK Stalin should have attended the Niti Aayog meet and secured welfare schemes for the state. Him boycotting the meeting, it argues would boycott the state's interest.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was the first to announce his boycott of Niti Ayog's meeting. Following this, the Congress said its chief ministers, including Himachal Pradesh's Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Karnataka's Siddaramaiah and Telangana's Revanth Reddy, would also skip the meeting.