New Delhi, Feb 8:
Kerala’s Left Front and Tamil Nadu’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) began separate protests in Delhi on Thursday morning against the BJP-led Centre over alleged neglect and partiality in allocation of funds to their states.
The DMK members on Thursday participated in Lok Sabha proceedings wearing black robes in protest against Centre over non allocation of requisite funds to Tamil Nadu in the interim budget.
“We are wearing black robes in protest against Centre not releasing flood relief funds,” DMK member G Selvam.
The DMK has been raising the issue of non-allocation of funds for the last few days both inside and outside Parliament.
The DMK’s ‘black shirt’ demonstration is being led by senior leader T R Baalu held near the Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex to protest against the ‘non-allocation’ of requisite funds to Tamil Nadu in the interim budget 2024-25.
The DMK has accused the saffron party-led dispensation at the Centre of ‘partiality’ as Tamil Nadu was not appropriately funded to tackle the situation arising out of damage caused by the recent cyclone, rains and flood.
The LDF’s protest is being led by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Left front ministers, legislators and parliamentarians are in attendance.
The CM said, “We have come together to register our strong protest and preserve the federal structure of India. Today, we are making the beginning of a reunited fight that would herald the dawn of ensuring equal treatment of the states. This fight will also strive to maintain balance in the Centre-State relation. 8th Feb is going to be a red letter day in the history of India.”
The Centre’s discrimination against Kerala and the resultant financial crunch has forced the state to resort to the protest path, Pinarayi Vijayan had said on Wednesday alleging that the Union government’s actions have weakened cooperative federalism.
