MK Stalin says BJP tries to run parallel govts through governors

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the BJP by saying that the national party was trying to run parallel governments through its governors and the policies of the Union government were anti-people.
Those who impose one language, one religion and one culture are the enemies of India’s unity, the CM said.
“You can never achieve unity by uniformity,” he said.
Speaking at a media event in Thrissur via video conference, Stalin said the national education policy was a barrier to education, GST robbed states of their fiscal autonomy and entrance exams like NEET denied education to the oppressed.
“We have to govern our states, even as we face all these hurdles. And we have to fulfil the needs and expectations of people as well. But I am still hopeful,” he said, adding that India’s long history and brotherhood of people would definitely protect the country.
Stalin said the concepts of federalism, state autonomy, secularism, equality, fraternity, socialism and social justice should be strengthened further to make India stronger for several centuries more.
He said there cannot be one national language, religion or culture in a diverse country.
“Those who want to impose one language, one religion and one culture are trying to destroy the unity of India. Those who want to destroy the unity of India are enemies of India, Indian people. We should not give space for such evil forces,” he said.
Strong, empowered and self-sufficient states are India's strength, not its weakness. India would benefit from strong, prosperous and industrialized states. “With Tamil Nadu’s share in India’s GDP being 9.2%, it benefits not only Tamil Nadu but India as a whole. Tamil Nadu’s share in the total tax revenue of the Union Government is 6%. Tamil Nadu’s share is beneficial to India. The Union Government becomes stronger, not weaker, since the state governments lead the states very well,” he said.
Charging the Union government with not adhering to the principle of federalism, Stalin said that attempts to make India monolithic could not be accepted and should be strongly, firmly and unitedly resisted. “The right to speak is denied to the Parliamentarians themselves. 27 MPs, including members of the DMK have been suspended. There is no right to speak even in the Parliament, which is a forum for expressing opinion. This is the state of Indian democracy today,” the CM said.
Stalin said the idea of federalism, the rights gained by Independence and the progressive ideas for all kinds of development together made India.
Jawaharlal Nehru respected India’s diversity, he said, reeling out the contributions of Nehru, including creation of states on linguistic lines and his assurance that Hindi would not be imposed until the non-Hindi speaking people liked it.
Interacting with the journalists later, Stalin said his Kerala counterpart, Pinarayi Vijayan had huge fan following in Tamil Nadu like what he himself enjoyed in Kerala. He said he had taken guidance from Vijayan on Covid containment measures. On the DMK’s electoral alliance with the CPM, the chief minister said it was an alliance of principles, and it would continue. Asked about the arrests of journalists and the alleged target of opposition leaders by the law enforcement agencies, Stalin termed it autocratic. “It is wrong to take away all the rights granted by the Constitution after the hard-fought Independence. It is a betrayal of the fighters of freedom struggle,” the CM said.