"Southern states are constantly neglected by central government": DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran

DMK staged a protest in all the district headquarters in Tamil Nadu today against the Union Budget presented on July 23, alleging that the state has been "neglected" in the budget.

"Southern states, especially Tamil Nadu, are constantly being neglected by the Modi government. We have been asking for funds for the second phase of the metro for the last 3 years, but not a single rupee has been given yet," the DMK MP told reporters.

He further asserted that Andhra Pradesh is recieving Rs 16,000 crore for the new capital, while technically, Rs 35,000 crore is being gifted to Bihar in the name of flood relief.

"The amount given to Andhra Pradesh is a loan guarantee, which means CM Chandrababu Naidu can take loans from other banks, but he has to pay interest and principal, so I am sure CM Naidu is aware of this. The implications will come out very soon. It is a minority government, so anything can happen," he added.

Earlier today, the 9th NITI Aayog's Governing Council meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre in the national capital, which was boycotted by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party government over the Union Budget and said that the budget seems like a "vengeful act" against the States and people who boycotted the BJP.

"Vanakkam! I was supposed to attend the 'NITI Aayog' meeting currently being held in Delhi, chaired by the Prime Minister. However, I am compelled to speak before you, in the people's forum, seeking justice due to the discriminatory attitude towards Tamil Nadu reflected in Union Budget 2024," Stalin said.

"You are all well aware of the progressive and visionary schemes of your Dravidian Model Government in Tamil Nadu, which have been implemented over the past three years! The benefits of our government schemes directly reach every family--every citizen! This is why the DMK is achieving continuous success! 'New schemes everyday, people's heart filled with joy'. This is the motto of our government! Yet, the Union Government continues to engage in actions that are contrary to our progressive thoughts," Stalin said.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting a Union Budget 2024-25, made major announcements for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, including a boost in infrastructure.

Notably, on Thursday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin was the first to announce his boycott of Niti Ayog's meeting. Following this, the Congress said its chief ministers, including Himachal Pradesh's Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Karnataka's Siddaramaiah and Telangana's Revanth Reddy, would also skip the meeting.

This year's theme of NITI Aayog's meeting is 'Viksit Bharat@2047', with a central focus on making India a developed nation. The Governing Council Meeting will discuss the Approach Paper for the Vision Document on Viksit Bharat @2047. (ANI)