M K Stalin and Pinarayi Vijayan

MADURAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Thursday reiterated DMK’s strong ties with CPM and Left parties, and said some are yearning to split them, but it won’t happen. Addressing a seminar organised as part of the 24th CPM party congress in Madurai, he said the coalition rests on the ideological friendship between Dravidianism and Communism.
“Half of the DMK flag is red. You are part of us,” said Stalin, who reminded the audience that his name is ‘Stalin’ and ‘Kalaignar’ M Karunanidhi identified himself as a communist always.
Stalin launched an all-out attack on the Modi govt saying the word ‘federalism’ was allergic to its leaders. “Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and I are the most affected due to the activities of the Union govt,” he said.
State autonomy was the lifeline of DMK, and party founder C N Annadurai in his last letter delved into it. “Modi govt is working to destroy states, state languages, and constitutional bodies. It is working hard to create a unitary govt with one country, one election and one language, which would eventually lead to dictatorship,” he said.
“State autonomy can be saved only by a regime change at Centre, and we all are coming together for public welfare,” he said.
Stalin said PM Narendra Modi, as Gujarat chief minister, had stressed on implementing recommendations of Sarkaria Commission and Punchhi Commission to improve Centre-state relations. “I would like to ask Modi, as three-time PM, what action has he taken to implement those recommendations,” he said. The chief minister also said governors are being used as BJP agents and full-time politicians in southern states.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in his speech, accused Centre of forcing states to act as brand ambassadors of the ruling party in centrally sponsored schemes. States were facing an in-built imbalance of fiscal powers, as stated by the 15th Finance Commission, he said. While states have nearly 62% of total expenditure obligations, they have the power to raise only 38% of the total revenue. This fiscal imbalance is being worsened by the expanding number of centrally sponsored schemes, in which states are being made to bear an increasing cost burden, he added.
Karnataka education minister M C Sudhakar said decisions made in Delhi imposed on states are a threat to the Indian Union. The seminar, titled ‘Kootatchi Kotpade Indhiyavin Valimai’ (Federalism principle is the strength of India), was also addressed by CPM coordinator Prakash Karat.