“It is not a social crime to call Central government as Union government. According to Indian Constitution, India, that is Bharat shall be union of states. We are using the term according to Indian constitution and so we use Union government and will continue to use the term,” said Stalin, while responding to the queries of BJP MLA Nainar Nagendiren, in the Assembly.

Nagendren alleged that the usage of Union government by Tamil Nadu government kicks off the doubt whether there is any hidden agenda behind calling the previously called Central government as Union government. He also claimed that even former chief ministers and Dravidian stalwarts like Annadurai and M Karunanidhi did not use the word Union government. Replying to Nagendren, Stalin dismissed the claims and said that even in 1957 election manifesto of DMK the word Indian Union was used. He also said that Annadurai when he served as Rajya Sabha MP, in his address on January 25, 1963, used the words Union government. Even former chief minister C Rajagopalachari and Tamil leader MP Sivagnanam used the words Union government in their speeches.

Nagendran then replied that Indian government was not formed out of states but only after India was granted Independence states were formed for administrative convenience. Minister for Higher Education K Ponmudy replied that even before Independence there were more than 200 states and after Independence all the states were combined to form India. Speaker M Appavu intervened and said that a detailed debate on the subject can be taken during Budget session, following which the BJP MLA completed his address.