Stalin to attend NITI Aayog meet, criticizes opposition's discomfort
As Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister MK Stalin heads to the NITI Aayog meeting, he vows to fight for fair financial rights for his state, challenging opposition leader Palaniswami's stance. Concurrently, farmers in Chennai protest for urgent government action on agricultural issues.
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 23 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin arrived at the Chennai International Airport on Friday as he prepared to leave for New Delhi. Stalin is set to participate in the tenth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, which will be held in the national capital on May 24. On Wednesday, CM Satlin said he would attend NITI Aayog's Governing Council meeting on May 24 and demand "fair financial rights" for his State.
The Chief Minister also asked why All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was pained by this, adding that he will keep on fighting to get a fair financial share from the Centre for the State. "I am going to Delhi on the 24th to express to the NITI Aayog for fair financial rights for Tamil Nadu at the meeting!" Stalin said in a post on X in Tamil.
The protesters, including farmers and their family members, raised slogans, urging Chief Minister MK Stalin to provide relief for crops such as maize, banana and small onions that were severely damaged due to recent heavy rains. They also pressed for the implementation of schemes announced in the agricultural budget, loan waivers for distressed farmers, and a rollback of the proposed installation of digital electricity meters.
"Why does this pain the Leader of the Opposition, Palaniswami, who has kept his habit of keeping his feet under the table?" he added. Saying that he will always carry the flag of freedom, the Chief Minister said, "I will always carry the flag of freedom! I will not crawl away! Even today, I have filed a case in the Supreme Court for the rights of Tamil Nadu. I will stand firm on my policy! I will fight to get funds for Tamil Nadu. "Meanwhile, Members of the Tamil Nadu River and Tank Irrigation Farmers Association staged a protest near Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore, Chennai, demanding immediate government action on crop damage compensation, agricultural budget implementation, and policy reforms.