Dam Safety Bill against federalism: Stalin

“The Bill on Dam Safety was passed without getting the opinion of states and the Bill, no doubt, will be a disaster in the Centre-state relations. Despite DMK raising opposition for the Bill in Parliament, the Union government without taking into consideration has passed the Bill to take away the rights of the state governments,” said Stalin, in a statement.

Quoting the arguments put forth by DMK MPs Tiruchy Siva and TKS Elangovan, Stalin said that dams are state subjects and their safety is also the concern of the state government. The Bill is against Article 252 (i) of Indian Constitution and questions the safety of the rights of the state governments, leave alone the safety of the dams.

Stalin also said that the DMK when it was in the opposition supported the resolution of the state government against the Dam Safety Bill and on Thursday when the Bill was introduced in the Parliament DMK and other opposition party MPs urged the Union government to send the Bill to Rajya Sabha select committee, but the request was rejected and the Bill was passed with the support of the AIADMK, he noted.