Let bhakti, rational thought flourish in harmony: CM Stalin

CHENNAI: Stating that his regime did not stand against anyone’s beliefs, Chief Minister MK Stalin alleged that it was only the political rivals, who were not able to find any fault with his government’s performance, raking up religious matters to criticise the State government.

Addressing party workers at the one-year achievement rally in Attur near Salem on Tuesday, Stalin said the DMK government has never been and never would stand against anyone’s belief. “Let bhakti be promoted on one side and rational thoughts flourish on the other. The government is common to all; ours is an inclusive government,” he said. Listing out the various schemes implemented by the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE), the Chief Minister said if the critics were really spiritual as they claimed to be, they should have supported the measures that the government has taken. “But they are trying to politicise things and distract (people) by making baseless allegations and communalising issues. I don’t have time to respond to them,” he added.

Stalin compared his government’s earlier Rs 3 petrol price cut with the most recent fuel price cut implemented by the Centre and said, “Whenever the Union government reduces its tax (on petrol/diesel), the state tax also reduces automatically. It is wrong to say that only the Centre has reduced the tax.”

Referring to Rs 10 hike in petrol price implemented by the Centre in the last two months, the CM said, “The Union government’s tax on petrol was Rs 9.48 per litre in 2014. It is Rs 27.90 per litre in May 2022. They have reduced Rs 8 per litre of petrol now. They have hiked the manifold and reduced it a bit. Actually, they should reduce it further. They should reduce it in proportion to the hike,” Stalin said.

Stating that states have the responsibility and duty to provide education, health, drinking water, electricity, road, storm water drains, noon meals and civic infrastructure to the people, the CM said, “Centre snatches away all financial rights of states and imposes a kind of financial stress on states. The Centre prevents states from fulfilling the needs of the people.”

Citing the Rs 21,761 crore arrear due to the state from the Centre, Stalin said that his government has done so much in the last year despite the financial constraints.

Remarking that people who don’t know the meaning of social justice and equality were raising communal issues, he said, “The Dravidian model of growth envisioned by Periyar, Anna and Kalaignar desires to see the social status of people improve. Dravidian model does not demolish, but construct. It will not neglect but integrate people. It will not divide but unite people. It will not oppress but treats everyone equally. It will not neglect, but embrace everyone.”

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