CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai on Tuesday appealed to party members to participate in a massive statewide protest conducted by the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) on February 12, accusing the BJP-led Union Government of repeatedly neglecting Tamil Nadu in the Union Budget and targeting the AIADMK for supporting what he termed "anti-Tamil and pro-corporate policies."
In a statement, Selvaperunthagai said the Secular Progressive Alliance has decided to organise large-scale protest demonstrations across all municipal corporations, unions, towns and municipalities in Tamil Nadu on Thursday, February 12, at 4 pm. The protests will condemn the Union Government's financial discrimination against Tamil Nadu and the AIADMK's alleged complicity.
He alleged that, for the past 12 years, the BJP government at the Centre has pursued anti-people policies and presented budgets that favour corporate interests. Withholding funds due to Tamil Nadu under key schemes such as the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, amounting to Rs 3,458 crore, is severely affecting Tamil Nadu students' education, he said.
Selvaperunthagai further accused the Union Government of discriminating against Tamil and other classical languages in fund allocation, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public praise of Tamil abroad. He claimed Tamil Nadu contributes significantly through taxes but receives far less in return.
Calling upon Congress workers to participate in large numbers, he urged district Congress committee presidents to coordinate to ensure the success of the INDIA bloc protest and to reaffirm Tamil Nadu as a state where the BJP cannot gain a foothold.