Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin presented a 15-page memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, primarily seeking central funding for the southern state.
The memo, handed over during a 50-minute meeting Stalin described as “cordial”, focused on three key issues: funding for Chennai’s metro rail project, release of education scheme funds and resolution of Sri Lankan navy’s detention of Tamil fishermen.
“It’s in the prime minister’s hands to turn today’s meeting into a purposeful one,” Stalin told reporters afterwards.
Stalin said several states that initiated metro projects after Tamil Nadu have already received funds. His DMK government has accused the BJP-led central government of withholding education funds to penalise Tamil Nadu for not implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
“Tamil Nadu’s main objection to NEP is its policy of a three-language formula,” Stalin said. The state insists on continuing its two-language policy of English and Tamil, which the memo described as “necessary to ensure the state’s cultural identity and students’ proficiency in global languages”.
Regarding the fishermen issue, Stalin urged for talks between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen during the Joint Working Group on Fisheries meeting scheduled for October 29 in Colombo. Currently, 145 Tamil Nadu fishermen are imprisoned in Sri Lanka.
“As an immediate measure, efforts may be taken to release 145 arrested fishermen and their boats with fishing equipment,” Stalin said, requesting Modi’s personal intervention in what he termed a “vexatious issue”.
{{/usCountry}}“As an immediate measure, efforts may be taken to release 145 arrested fishermen and their boats with fishing equipment,” Stalin said, requesting Modi’s personal intervention in what he termed a “vexatious issue”.
{{/usCountry}}The condition of 191 boats apprehended since 2018 remains unknown.
Following his meeting with Modi, Stalin met Sonia Gandhi, chief of his alliance partner, Congress.