Rights of states 'trampled' under BJP regime at Centre, says Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday alleged that the rights of states are being crushed under the BJP-led regime at the Centre, and appealed to the people to back the opposition INDIA bloc in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to ensure real autonomy for states.
In the third episode of his 'Speaking for India' podcast series, Stalin chose the theme of state autonomy and used his «voice for true cooperative federalism», targeting the BJP and the government helmed by it at the Centre.
Stalin pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his earlier role as Gujarat Chief Minister, had often spoken backing the rights of states.
«However, after he came to Delhi as Prime Minister, the very first sentence of the Constitution, 'India, that is Bharat, shall be a union of states', became a thing of dislike for him.» The Centre does not «allow» the states to even function within the Constitutional framework and it is not inclined to listening to the states either, Stalin claimed.
Further, he alleged: «The BJP has an action plan itself to scuttle the functioning of the state administration by way of Raj Bhavans.» The saffron party is using Governor R N Ravi to not clear 19 Bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly, he said, adding, «See the way in which the right of states and the dignity of state assemblies are belittled.» Indian democracy is being damaged, Stalin said.
On the whole, he said, under the BJP regime, the rights of states are being trampled and the ideals of federalism and democracy — the cornerstone of the Constitution — have been cast aside. For the ideal of state autonomy to succeed, he said, the opposition INDIA bloc should assume power at the Centre and people should prepare themselves to
