Tamil Maanila Congress criticises MK Stalin's move to form committee on centre-state relations

Chennai, April 15 (IANS) Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) president G.K. Vasan on Tuesday criticised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s decision to form a high-level committee to examine Centre-State relations, calling it ‘unnecessary and inappropriate’.

Vasan said the Union government has consistently safeguarded the rights of all states in the interest of national unity and has implemented several welfare schemes that have contributed to the development of Tamil Nadu.

“As a result, the state has witnessed progress, and its people are benefiting from the initiatives of the Union government,” and accused the Chief Minister of politicising the Centre’s role in Tamil Nadu’s development.

“At a time when the Centre is supporting the state’s growth, the Chief Minister is unfairly criticising the Union government, ignoring its contributions, and treating it as if it were a political opponent,” he remarked.

Vasan was reacting to Chief Minister Stalin’s announcement in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly regarding the formation of a three-member expert committee to study and propose measures to improve centre-state relations.

The panel is also expected to explore the possibility of moving certain subjects, such as education, from the Union List back to the State List of the Constitution.

The committee will be chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph and will include former IAS officer Ashok Vardhan Shetty and Professor Naganathan, the former Deputy Chairman of the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission.

It is scheduled to submit an interim report by January 2026 and a final report within two years. The panel will conduct an in-depth study of the Constitution of India and review recommendations from previous expert bodies, including the Rajamannar Committee of 1971 and the M.M. Punchhi Commission of 2004, which examined Centre-State dynamics.

Defending the decision, Stalin said Tamil Nadu has always led the charge in upholding constitutional values and federal principles.

“This committee’s work is not only intended for Tamil Nadu but will also benefit all states - from Gujarat to the Northeast and from Kashmir to Kerala,” he said.

The Chief Minister also cited the thoughts of B.R. Ambedkar and U.S. Constitution framer James Madison to emphasise the need for strong, autonomous state governments within a united national framework, highlighting the importance of true federalism in a diverse democracy like India.

--IANS

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