Chennai:
A scrapped railway challenge in Tamil Nadu has change into the most recent bone of rivalry between the state and central governments. The DMK has denied claims by Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw that the state authorities was not keen to go forward with the challenge that may have linked the southern districts of Madurai and Thoothukudi.
Throughout his current Chennai go to, Mr Vaishnaw stated that the challenge has been shelved for the reason that DMK authorities had given it in writing they do not need to pursue the challenge.
Talking to reporters after inspecting Amrit Bharat and Vande Bharat sleeper coaches at ICF Chennai on Friday, he had requested the state authorities to position service to folks above politics. “We want the state authorities’s help in land acquisition. We should ensure that folks’s amenities are above politics and we should have a look at the welfare of the folks first,” he had stated.
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DMK Youth Wing accused the minister of “blatantly mendacity” and shared a letter by which Chief Minister MK Stalin had in August sought funds for the challenge. “Why is he saying it when the CM write a letter asking for a challenge and when the truth is it’s the Railways that has rejected the request stating frivolous causes,” the put up learn.
State Transport Minister SS Sivasankar additionally claimed that his authorities had by no means sought that the challenge be withdrawn – neither in writing nor verbally. Slightly, he stated that they had been insisting on the implementation of the challenge and that such contradictory remarks present the centre’s discriminatory nature in the direction of Tamil Nadu.
‘Private, Not Political’
AIADMK, the arch-rival of the DMK, alleged Chief Minister MK Stalin blocked the railway challenge since Thoothukudi is his sister Okay Kanimozhi’s constituency, and it might enhance her recognition and threaten his son’s elevation within the get together.
“It clearly exposes the precedence of MK Stalin in the direction of the welfare schemes in Tamil Nadu. The explanation for saying no is extra private than political. MK Stalin doesn’t need any alternative for Kanimozhi to take the credit score since Tuticorin is her constituency. He doesn’t need any measures that can enhance the recognition of Kanimozhi as a result of she is going to change into a direct menace to Udhayanidhi’s elevation. He needs to silence his sister,” stated AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan.
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The challenge was introduced in 2011-12. Southern Railway began engaged on it in 2016 and 18 km out of the 143.5 km stretch was accomplished between Milavittan and Melmarudur in 2022. Rs 324 crore has already been spent on the challenge.
The DMK, a key ally of the Congress, and the BJP-led centre had been at loggerheads over varied points. One other current occasion of the state authorities hitting out on the centre is MK Stalin’s ripping remarks in opposition to Governor RN Ravi. The Chief Minister yesterday slammed his determination to not handle the meeting session as “infantile” and acknowledged that he’s unable to digest that the state was creating.