Sat Feb 08 19:31:02 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Condemns BJP Over Funding, Communal Tensions

**Chennai, February 9, 2025** – Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched a scathing attack on the BJP government on Saturday, accusing it of fostering communal disharmony while simultaneously withholding the state’s rightful financial dues. Addressing a public gathering, Stalin warned that the BJP’s actions risk alienating the public. He asserted that the people of Tamil Nadu, united in their Tamil identity, would not tolerate the BJP’s alleged use of religion for political gain.

Stalin specifically criticized the BJP’s handling of the Kumbh Mela stampede, claiming the government downplayed the death toll (48 reported versus 30 officially acknowledged). He also condemned the BJP’s refusal to allow a parliamentary discussion on the matter, echoing Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav’s allegations of the use of earthmovers to remove bodies.

Further fueling his criticism, Stalin voiced strong disapproval of the recent shackling and deportation of 104 Indians by the U.S. government. He questioned External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s perceived justification of the U.S.’s actions and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Vishwa Guru” status in light of this perceived humiliation of Indian citizens. Stalin questioned why Modi, who campaigned for the U.S. president, did not intervene on behalf of the deported Indians.

Stalin also decried the lack of funds allocated to Tamil Nadu in the recent budget. While acknowledging allocations for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, he questioned the Centre’s apparent neglect of Tamil Nadu, citing the absence of new special schemes, railway projects, and funding for the second phase of the Chennai Metro Rail project and AIIMS Chennai. He reiterated that no one, including the Governor, could impede DMK-proposed development projects.

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