Centre trying to snatch financial, educational rights of TN, claims Udhayanidhi Stalin

Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu), Feb 6 (PTI) Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Friday alleged that the Centre was unable to digest the growth of Tamil Nadu and was trying to snatch the financial and educational rights.

Taking a dig at the recent budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he said, "There was not even one single project for the state and even the word 'Tamil Nadu' was not even mentioned in the budget speech." Participating at a party event here, Udhayanidhi listed out some of the schemes introduced by the DMK government, including the free bus travel scheme for women, morning meal for school children, Pudhumai Penn scheme among others.

"The highlight of the DMK government's achievement is the Kalaignar Urimai Thittam providing Rs 1,000 monthly to 1.30 crore women. Tamil Nadu leads India with a 13.19 per cent growth rate," he said.

Hitting out at the ruling NDA at the Centre, he alleged: "Unable to digest Tamil Nadu's growth, the BJP government is snatching our financial rights, education rights and trying to impose Hindi and Sanskrit languages." "Sitharaman claims she is from Tamil Nadu. But there was no mention of even one project for the benefit of Tamil Nadu in her budget presentation. The Centre has been deceiving Tamil Nadu," he said.

Lashing out at the opposition AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, he said even before Sitharaman finished her budget speech, Palaniswami hailed it as a "great budget and welcomed it".

Udhayanidhi expressed hope that his party would win more than 200 seats in the forthcoming assembly polls. "It is sure our leader (Stalin) will become the chief minister again and Thanjavur will be starting point for this victory," he said.

He appealed to the cadres gathered at the venue to work hard for the party's victory in the polls. PTI VIJ VIJ KH