Synopsis
AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami has accused the Tamil Nadu government of using its 2025-26 Budget logo and early Economic Survey release as diversion tactics to mask administrative failures, criticizing CM M.K. Stalin's approach as mere publicity stunts.Key Takeaways
- Edappadi K. Palaniswami accuses Tamil Nadu government of diversion tactics.
- Criticism aimed at M.K. Stalin for alleged publicity stunts.
- Removal of Indian Rupee symbol sparks controversy.
- State's opposition to NEP raises ongoing governance issues.
- Political tensions escalate between ruling DMK and opposition.
Chennai, March 13 (NationPress) AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, has charged the state government with employing its official Budget logo for 2025-26 and the premature release of the 2024-25 Economic Survey as a "diversion tactic" to conceal its administrative shortcomings.
In a post on social media, Palaniswami lambasted Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, branding the initiatives as mere "publicity stunts".
He asserted that the ruling DMK's "empty advertisement campaign" would fail to meet the genuine needs and aspirations of the public.
Moreover, he accused CM Stalin of resorting to political gimmicks by reciting scripted dialogues penned by others.
K. Annamalai, the Tamil Nadu BJP President, also condemned the state government's actions.
In a post on X, he charged the DMK government with eliminating the Indian Rupee (₹) symbol from the 2025-26 Budget logo in favor of Tamil script.
He remarked that the rupee symbol was created by Thiru Udaya Kumar, a Tamilian and son of a former DMK MLA.
Mockingly questioning CM Stalin's judgment, BJP leader Annamalai shared the 2024-25 Budget logo, which featured the Indian rupee symbol, drawing attention to the disparity.
This controversy arises amid a persistent language dispute between the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre, with the state accusing the Union government of imposing Hindi—an allegation the Centre has refuted.
The decision by the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government to remove the rupee symbol from its Budget marks a historic first for a state rejecting the national currency symbol.
This action is viewed as part of the state's broader opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
Tamil Nadu has consistently resisted implementing key aspects of the NEP, especially the three-language formula.
Chief Minister Stalin has alleged that the Centre withheld ₹573 crore in educational assistance under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) as a consequence of Tamil Nadu’s refusal to adopt the NEP.
According to policy guidelines, states must comply with NEP provisions to receive SSA funding, with the Centre covering 60 percent of the allocation for states like Tamil Nadu.
On March 11, Stalin spearheaded a statewide protest against both the NEP and the proposed delimitation exercise, labeling the latter a threat to South India.
At a public rally, the Chief Minister stated, "We oppose NEP because it will completely destroy Tamil Nadu's education system. The policy disregards reservation, which is the foundation of social justice. It denies financial assistance to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs)."
The controversy intensifies as the state government and opposition leaders clash over the Budget presentation and broader governance issues.
