Along with MK Stalin, his southern counterparts—Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka CMs, have also boycotted the meet, as a protest for the unfair treatment meted out to the states in the Union Budget.
Published Jul 27, 2024 | 2:22 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 27, 2024 | 6:20 PM
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin. (X)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has sparked discussions by deciding not to attend the NITI Aayog session on Saturday. Stalin’s absence marks a significant moment in the ongoing dialogue about federalism and state-centre relations in India.
The Tamil Nadu chief minister cited concerns over the perceived erosion of federal principles and the diminishing role of states in the decision-making process as reasons for his non-participation.
Along with MK Stalin, his southern counterparts—Telangana CM Revanth Reddy, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, and Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, have also boycotted the meet, as a protest for the unfair treatment meted out to the states in the Union Budget.
The ninth governing council meeting of the Aayog discussed the ‘Vikshit Bharat@2047’ document with an aim to make India a developed nation.
The council, the apex body of Niti Aayog, includes all CMs, Lt Governors of Union territories and several Union ministers. PM Modi is the chairman of Niti Aayog.
MK Stalin on X expressed his disappointment and criticism towards the central BJP-led NDA government.
In his post, he mentioned that on the day he was supposed to participate in the NITI Aayog meeting in Delhi, he had to seek justice before the people due to what he describes as the central government’s deceit.
This post highlights his ongoing dissatisfaction with the central administration and underscores his stance on seeking justice through public discourse.
தலைநகரில் @NITIAayog கூட்டத்தில் பங்கெடுத்திருக்க வேண்டிய நாளில், ஒன்றிய பா.ஜ.க. அரசின் வஞ்சனையால், நீதி கேட்டு மக்கள் மன்றத்தில்…#UnfairBudget4TN pic.twitter.com/L2rqtORNvD
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) July 27, 2024
He said, “You are all aware of the Dravida model government. The benefits of our government’s schemes directly reach every family- every citizen.”
Stalin added, “The magnanimity is missing with Modi’s BJP Government; an example is the Union budget that was presented on 23 July, 2024.”
Stalin called this as a vengeful act, an attempt to take revenge on Tamil Nadu. He continued to question the expectation about people voting for the BJP without them resolving any issues of the people in various states.
“This is the third successive term of BJP. However, they have not won on majority and have made it through purely by support from few regional parties.”
In his statement, Stalin highlighted that the NITI Aayog, established in 2015 to replace the Planning Commission, was intended to foster cooperative federalism.
However, he expressed dissatisfaction with its functioning, suggesting that it has not lived up to its promise of providing states with a greater voice in national governance. He also raised concerns about the central government’s approach to states’ rights and the allocation of resources.
Stalin had mentioned that he had stated the state’s concerns, but it has been overlooked by the central government. He adds “From the last three years, the railway project has been dismissed and not one penny has been released by their fund allocation.”
Stalin talks about the ongoing projects that have been stopped by BJP as they claim that the approval has to be signed by the central government.
“Who gave them the permission to levy taxes?” Stalin questioned the Modi government about the already existing GST charges that take away taxation authority by states themselves. He claims that ₹20 crore from the GST collection has not been allocated to Tamil Nadu yet.
The NITI Aayog, or National Institution for Transforming India, is a policy think tank of the Indian government, designed to involve states in the economic policy-making process. It was created with the goal of enhancing cooperative federalism by fostering collaboration between the central and state governments.
However, the forum has faced criticism from several states, particularly those led by opposition parties, for allegedly marginalizing their role and centralizing decision-making.
Stalin’s decision to skip the session is reflective of a broader dissatisfaction among several regional leaders regarding the current central government’s approach to governance.
This move has brought to the forefront ongoing concerns about the balance of power between the central and state governments, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and participatory approach in India’s federal structure.
He concluded the speech by conveying a message from the people of Tamil Nadu to the BJP government, “You are making mistake after mistake and hence you will suffer more and more defeats.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walked out of a Niti Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 27 July, and claimed that she was unfairly stopped midway in her speech, despite being the sole representative of the opposition.
Government sources, however, rejected her claim and said her speaking time was over.
Banerjee said her microphone was stopped after five minutes, while other chief ministers were allowed to speak for longer durations.
“This is insulting. I will not attend any further meeting,” the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said.
“I have come out boycotting the meeting. (Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister) Chandrababu Naidu was given 20 minutes to speak. The chief ministers of Assam, Goa, Chhattisgarh spoke for 10-12 minutes. I was stopped from speaking after just five minutes,” she told reporters after coming out of the meeting of chief ministers chaired by Modi.
“This is unfair. From the opposition side, only I am representing here. I attended this meeting because of the greater interest that cooperative federalism should be strengthened,” she added.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did not attend the Niti Aayog meeting, officials said. The state was represented at the meeting by deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, they said.
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula, with PTI inputs)
