Ensuring a fair federal balance

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in Chennai.
| Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B.

For nearly a century, the Dravidian movement has been strongly advocating the need for de-centralisation of powers to accelerate growth and implement a development model that benefits everyone. Hence, my announcement in the Legislative Assembly — on constituting a three-member high-level committee to review the provisions of the Constitution, laws and policies regarding Centre-State relations, and recommend appropriate steps to strengthen the States’ autonomy and ensure a fair federal balance — was the next logical step in our quest to push back the ever-increasing intrusiveness of the Union into State domains.

The Constitution of India clearly states that India is a ‘Union of States’. This preamble exemplifies the inherent powers that are vested with the States. Our party’s founder, C.N. Annadurai, in his Rajya Sabha speeches, had repeatedly highlighted the need for the Union government to devolve adequate powers to the States. The fundamental principle of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is ‘Self-rule in the States; collective rule at the Union’. In this regard, our leader Kalaignar (former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi) formed a three-member commission headed by Justice P.V. Rajamannar to realise this goal.

Trampling on rights

Today, we witness a scenario that is much worse than what it was when Kalaignar raised his voice for fair distribution of power. In those days, some powers were grabbed from States. However, today, under the hyper-centralising Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at power in the Union, there is a clear attempt to immobilise the States and make them dysfunctional by trampling on their rights. The Union government intends to curtail the legislative power of the States and reduce the States to being subservient to the Union. Attempts are also being made to eradicate the States’ unique linguistic and cultural heritage.

The Constitution has a clear demarcation of powers through three vital lists: the Union List, the State List, and the Concurrent List. But in the last decade, many subjects listed under the Concurrent List, by default and practice, have been functionally moved to the Union List. There is also little regard for the items listed in the State List. The BJP-led Union government has been brazenly enacting laws in subjects which are clearly under the State List. Compounding the issue further, the Union is also creating steep stumbling blocks against States’ legislative powers on State List subjects, by misusing the constitutional offices of Governors and President. We have successfully removed these blocks by securing the recent historic judgment at the Supreme Court.

A contemptuous attitude

The Tamil Nadu government’s State Education Policy is based on social justice, inclusiveness, and access to all, in contrast to the Union’s elitist National Education Policy (NEP). The NEP also has a hidden agenda of the three-language formula, which indirectly pushes Hindi as a mandatory language. We have rightly rejected this dubious design. Hence, the Union government has kept Tamil Nadu’s share of ₹2,500 crore in abeyance, with scant regard for the welfare of nearly 42 lakh students. This same ruthless behaviour was displayed by the Union recently when it withheld presidential assent for our NEET exemption Bill. The Union’s deeds on these two vital issues exemplifies its contemptuous attitude.

A struggle for rights

We have also listed out the harms that will befall India if any unfair delimitation exercise is carried out by the Union government, penalising performing States and incentivising non-performing States. We are building a coalition of like-minded States to counter any such lopsided move and to ensure that the idea of a progressive and prosperous India continues to thrive. Tamil Nadu will never allow the concept of cooperative federalism to be replaced through aggrandisement and centralised decision-making at Delhi. Our struggle against this new norm of BJP governance is not only to fulfil Tamil Nadu’s demands, but also to secure due powers for all the States. Hence, we are confident that other States will also join us in this just struggle for our legitimate rights.

We are firm in our understanding that only strong States can create a strong India, while at the same time protecting the plurality of the country. The time has come to reset the balance in Centre-State relations. Structuring a robust mechanism will ensure that the inherent rights of the States cannot be trampled on by the Union. At this critical juncture, Tamil Nadu will once again rise to fulfil its historic duty, as it has always done in the past. Tamil Nadu will fight and Tamil Nadu will win.