TN CM 'pasting stickers on DMK’s achievements' at Niti Aayog meet, says Udhayanidhi

CHENNAI: Leader of the Opposition DMK in the Assembly Udhayanidhi Stalin launched a sharp attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, accusing him of allegedly utilising the Niti Aayog meeting to “paste stickers” on the achievements of the previous Dravidian model government.

Taking exception to the Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi sought to know if women empowerment, especially ensuring 42 per cent of woman in workforce and Tamil Nadu emerging as India’s second largest economy were achieved by the present TVK regime, which was formed a month ago.

During the campaign for the Assembly election, the TVK founder Vijay set narratives claiming that Tamil Nadu had fallen into a "deep debt trap".

However, at the 11th governing council meeting of the Niti Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on June 11, Vijay read out a list of Tamil Nadu's achievements.

"The Chief Minister spoke about how Tamil Nadu stands as the second largest economy in India, and that 42 per cent of all working women in India are from Tamil Nadu, and highlighted progress in women's education, safety, healthcare, and the growth of women's Self-Help Groups. The Chief Minister must clarify whether all of these were achieved during his one-month-old Sofa Model governance, or were they achieved during the 5-year Dravidian Model governance?" Udhayanidhi asked in a post on 'X'.

In the run-up to the Assembly polls, Vijay asked "if NEET alone mattered in the world", but at the meeting he strongly advocated for medical admissions based on Class 12 marks, thus contradicting his own past statement," Udhayanidhi said on Friday.

"Despite traveling all the way to Delhi, he maintained silence on the Mekedatu dam issue at the Niti Aayog meeting and also with his new alliance partner the Congress governing Karnataka," the DMK youth wing secretary alleged.

"In short, at the Niti Aayog meeting, this #SofaModel government has completely pasted its own sticker over the achievements of our Kazhagam government. CM Sir, this fake victory you have attained by hurling lies and slander to deceive the people will not last long. Truth will surely triumph," Udhayanidhi said.

At the governing council meeting, the CM presented a comprehensive vision of Tamil Nadu's progress, highlighting the key milestones and setting ambitious future target. At his maiden meeting, apart from outlining achievements, Vijay pitched for exempting NEET for Tamil Nadu and allowing the state to admit students to medical colleges based on the marks scored in the qualifying Plus Two exam.

He had also sought for the release of Rs 3,284 crore under Samagra Shiksha Scheme.