DMK slams Centre for 'sidelining state languages,' celebrating Hindi month, week

Chennai, Nov 20 (PTI) Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK on Wednesday condemned the BJP-led Centre, alleging it ignored state languages including Tamil and celebrated Hindi, month and week.

The party urged its cadres to right away begin the campaign for 2026 Assembly election, by reminding people of the momentous schemes and the visionary leadership of Chief Minister M K Stalin, and expressed confidence of winning the polls.

Fare-free travel for women in government town buses and the Rs 1,000 monthly assistance for women under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai (Kalaignar scheme for women's right) Thittam are among the host of schemes being implemented by the DMK regime.

The Dravidian party, in its high-level panel meeting chaired by party president and Chief Minister M K Stalin, also targeted the Union government for what it called 'delaying' the caste census.

Several resolutions were adopted at the meeting which outlined the party's stand on various issues and one of the resolution condemned the Centre over a string of issues including the 9.2 per cent unemployment rate.

It condemned, "ignoring state languages including Tamil and conducting celebratory events of Hindi month and Hindi week." The ruling party hit out at the Central government for its proposed Waqf Amendment Bill and said it was tantamount to taking away the rights of minorities.

It condemned the BJP-led regime for its "anti-democratic, anti-people, and anti-constitutional" pursuits and alleged that the rule of reservation was not fully implemented in all the Central government departments.

Also, the DMK slammed the Centre for 'not preventing rail accidents that are continuing to kill people' and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the safety and security of all sections of people in Manipur.

The party reiterated its opposition to the 'One nation, one election' proposal and decried what it called non-release funds to the state under the Central schemes such as the Samagra Shiksha. The DMK alleged that the union government usurped the rights conferred on the states by the Constitution. It blamed the Centre for 'partiality' in release of disaster relief funds to non-BJP governed states.

It alleged reduction in allocation of funds for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in the budget and blamed the Centre for 'sluggish governance.' The DMK alleged that the BJP regime was intent only in implementing its 'communal thoughts,' and claimed that none of the assurances made by the Saffron party before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls were implemented.

The party, citing the state government's demand to the 16th Finance Commission, seeking 50 per cent share in Central taxes, said the union government must accept it.

The DMK urged the Centre to take steps for the release of Tamil Nadu fishermen imprisoned in Sri Lanka and also demanded that initiatives be made for the release of their seized boats.

Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, party leaders including Duraimurugan, TR Baalu, A Raja, RS Bharathi, Kanimozhi took part. PTI VGN VGN KH