Kerala Chief Minister Welcomes MK Stalin's Solidarity With The State's Protest Against Centre
Responding to his Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan today (Tuesday) took to his social media platform X, and expressed his gratitude for extending support to Kerala’s protest against the central government. The Kerala government had decided to hold a protest march on February 8 at Delhi against the central government’s alleged discrimination towards the state’s functioning and fiscal autonomy.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister earlier today wrote that the TN government assured full support to Kerala’s protest against the centre’s discrimination against the state. Mr Stalin extended his government’s cooperation to the protest of the Kerala government and said that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) would also participate in the protest. “Our voice will not rest until we establish cooperative federalism and win state autonomy! The fascist BJP will never be able to extinguish the flame of state autonomy. The rights of the states will surely be upheld in all sections including finance and administration. The time is ripe for that,” Mr Stalin wrote in his post.
ബഹുമാനപ്പെട്ട കേരള മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി – സഖാവ് @PinarayiVijayan എഴുതിയ കത്ത് ബഹുമാനപ്പെട്ട കേരള വ്യവസായ മന്ത്രി @PRajeevOfficial എനിക്ക് കൈമാറിയിരുന്നു.
സംസ്ഥാന സർക്കാരുകളുടെ #FiscalAutonomy-യിൽ #UnionGovernment ഇടപെടുന്നതിനെതിരെ സുപ്രീം കോടതിയിൽ കേരള സർക്കാരിൻ്റെ ഹർജിക്ക് തമിഴ്നാട്… https://t.co/wSpJBTZ1V9 pic.twitter.com/Z1pvQdcWP9
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) February 6, 2024
However, replying to the DMK leader”s solidarity, the Kerala chief minister in his post further noted that the gestures shown by the neighbouring state would boost the government’s efforts to resist the efforts to undermine federal principles. “This gesture boosts our efforts to stand up and resist the vicious efforts to undermine the federal principles enshrined in our Constitution. Together, let’s march forward to protect our democracy & constitutional values,” Pinarayi Vijayan wrote.
Salutes to Thiru @mkstalin & @arivalayam for extending solidarity & support for Kerala’s protest on February 8th at Delhi against the Centre’s discrimination towards states’ functioning & fiscal autonomy. This gesture boosts our efforts to stand up & resist the vicious efforts to… https://t.co/eQDxyS31uo
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@pinarayivijayan) February 6, 2024
Kerala government has been accusing the centre of squeezing the state financially, with the state finance minister K. N. Balagopal openly saying that the union government for no sound reason has deprived the state of more than Rs 40,000 crore this fiscal. The finance minister had also claimed that the state was in a financial crisis induced by the central government.
It was to address this “neglect” among others that the state cabinet led by the chief minister decided to conduct a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on February 8, according to the government
