Don’t ignore aspirations, interests of Tamil people, AIADMK tells Centre
AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai complained that the Centre was ignoring the state on a number of issues.
The AIADMK on Saturday warned the Centre that if it continued to “ignore” the regional aspirations and interests of people of Tamil Nadu, it will have dangerous implications.
After heading an AIADMK MPs delegation to President Pranab Mukherjee, AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for helping the Tamil Nadu government come out with an ordinance on the Jallikattu issue but complained that the Centre was “ignoring” the state on a number of issues.
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“One nation, one tax may be good for GST (Goods and Services Tax) but the concept of one language, one culture is not good for federalism. The Prime Minister talks of cooperative federalism but what is cooperative federalism if you are not able to address our issues,” he said.
“We have been raising various issues like the Cauvery, Mullaiperiyar, Kachatheevu, Tamil fishermen, Sri Lankan Tamils cause and Jallikattu which symbolises Tamil culture. Tamil culture is also Indian culture. It is a warning to the central government that please don’t step aside the regional aspirations and interests,” he added.
For the past one year, the AIADMK MPs have been seeking appointments with the Prime Minister to take up state issues, Thambidurai said. “We waited for the last three days for meeting the Prime Minister but we could not get his appointment. We hope that anytime he may call us,” he said.