BJP won’t fight for Tamil Nadu’s rights, says TNCC chief K Selvaperunthagai

CHENNAI: Slamming the state BJP for announcing abstention from Wednesday’s all-party meeting to deliberate on the proposed delimitation exercise, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai said that the Tamil Nadu unit of the saffron party was the face of the BJP governments in other states.

Talking to media persons here, Selvaperunthagai said, “The state BJP unit does not exist for Tamil Nadu. They have a unit in Tamil Nadu for the BJP in other states. They will not talk about the rights/welfare of Tamil Nadu. They will not speak to get Tamil Nadu’s due share of taxes from the Union government. Even if they do not release funds, they will question if the funds already released were spent. BJP is in Tamil Nadu not for the people of this State. Wherever the BJP is in power in other states, they are running a unit here as a face of the BJP governments in those states.”

Arguing that if the Tamil Nadu unit of BJP really is meant for this State, it must be a political party safeguarding the welfare of TN. “When unprecedented floods wreaked havoc in TN, they (BJP) did not secure funds nor the disaster relief funds. Why did the BJP state unit not raise its voice for it and secure funds? Why didn’t the state BJP unit fight to secure education funds from the Union government?” Selvaperunthagai questioned.

The Congress leader asked why didn’t the State unit of BJP question the conditions placed by the Centre for getting funds, using the National Education Policy as a tool. “Are the students learning in the State government schools not from Tamil Nadu? Why is the BJP refusing to question that (denial of fund) ,” he further questioned.

“They could say that delimitation is happening or not happening. If they would not even attend the meeting, are they not a party meant for the state?” he wondered. On Tamil Manila Congress also announcing abstention from the meeting, the TNCC chief said, “TMC is a part of BJP. They endorse whatever the BJP says. PMK is also an ally of the BJP, but they are attending the meeting. Why are they (TMC) not attending the meeting? That means, they are not also a party not meant for Tamil Nadu,” he said. They are obeying some masters in Delhi, he said.