DMK mum on CAG exposing Centre's Tamil Nadu bias: Manickam Tagore

CHENNAI: TNCC president B Manickam Tagore on Thursday (September 10) alleged that the BJP-led Union government was "deceiving" Tamil Nadu by reducing funds for key schemes, including the rural employment programme and the Jal Jeevan Mission, citing the latest CAG reports tabled in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

He also criticised the DMK and other parties in the State for remaining silent about the BJP government, saying that while the DMK had earlier raised its voice strongly against the BJP, it was now keeping quiet. "The Congress will continue to expose the BJP's fake propaganda and anti-people policies," he said.

Addressing a press meet at Sathyamurthy Bhavan in Chennai on Thursday, Tagore said that Congress was the only party in Tamil Nadu that had consistently spoken against the BJP government's "anti-people" policies and would continue to do so without any compromise.

Citing the CAG findings, Tagore said that the funds allocated to the rural employment scheme had been reduced by 34% since 2022.

He also claimed that the Union government's subsidies to Tamil Nadu had declined from around Rs 34,000 crore to Rs 16,000 crore.

Referring to the CAG report on the Jal Jeevan Mission, he alleged that the number of people affected by water-related diseases had increased significantly over the past four years.

According to him, the figure had risen from around 16,000 in 2019 to nearly 1.12 lakh annually, which he said indicated the failure of the Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission.

Tagore challenged BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran to explain why the Union government was allegedly "betraying" Tamil Nadu repeatedly.

He also criticised the Centre's caste Census plans, claiming they could put Tamil Nadu's unique 69% reservation at risk. The TNCC would organise an awareness movement on September 17, he announced.

Tagore further said the TNCC would begin preparations for the upcoming by-election and work to ensure the victory of the alliance candidate.