Tiruvallur (Tamil Nadu), April 18: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched a sharp attack on the central government on Friday, asserting that the state would never come under the administrative control of New Delhi. Speaking at a public event, Stalin emphasized Tamil Nadu’s political uniqueness and resilience, declaring that the tactics used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in other states would not succeed in Tamil Nadu.
“Union Minister Amit Shah says they will form the government in 2026. I challenge him—Tamil Nadu will never yield to Delhi’s administration. What you do in other states with party break-ups and raids won’t work here. Tamil Nadu is always out of control of Delhi,” said Stalin.
He also questioned Home Minister Amit Shah on several pressing issues concerning the state, including the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), imposition of Hindi, special funds allocation, and parliamentary seat delimitation. “Can Amit Shah assure NEET exemption? Can he guarantee Hindi won’t be imposed? Can he explain the delay in special fund allocation? Can he ensure delimitation won’t reduce Tamil Nadu’s seats?” he asked.
Reacting strongly to derogatory remarks made by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who called the Tamil Nadu government ‘dishonest’ and the people ‘uncivilised,’ Stalin condemned the attempt to divide people through political rhetoric. “Even the Prime Minister made divisive remarks in Odisha. But such tactics won’t divide Tamil Nadu,” he said.
Earlier this week, on April 15, Stalin had intensified his demand for greater state autonomy. In the Assembly, he moved a resolution to form a high-level committee to explore expanding the state’s powers and reclaim its rights from the Union Government.
The committee, chaired by retired Justice Kurian Joseph, includes former IAS officer Ashok Vardhan Shetty and Mu Nagarajan. It is expected to submit an interim report by January 2026, with a full report due within two years. The panel will also suggest ways to strengthen the federal relationship between the state and the Centre.