Caste census every 5 years if INDIA bloc voted to power in LS polls: TN CM Stalin

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President, MK Stalin said on Wednesday, that if the INDIA bloc was voted to power in the Lok Sabha polls, a caste census would be conducted once in every five years.

CM Stalin also promised that if voted to power at the Centre, 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies would be implemented.

He was speaking on Wednesday after releasing the election manifesto of the DMK for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

CM Stalin said that the DMK was for amendment to the Constitution of India to accommodate relevant recommendations of expert committees on Centre-state relations in order to grant more autonomy to the latter.

The DMK leader also said that the party was for appointment of governors after duly consulting the chief ministers of states.

He said that the DMK wants Article 356 (On President’s Rule) to be abolished and also wants the removal of Article 361 (Protection of President of India and governors of states) from the Constitution.

The DMK wants the establishment of a branch of the Supreme Court in Chennai; statehood for Puducherry and slashing of prices of LPG, petrol and diesel to Rs 500, Rs 75 and Rs 65, respectively.

CM Stalin promised that if the INDIA bloc comes to power, there would be a separate budget for the Railways and recommendations of the Sachar Committee to improve the livelihood of Muslims would be implemented.

The proposed ‘One Nation, One Election’ policy would be abolished and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) would be repealed.

He said that Tamil Nadu would be exempted from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and all toll booths on National Highways would be removed.

The DMK leader said that prevention of the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code and a monthly entitlement of Rs 1,000 for all women in the country would be executed.

The manifesto also featured the conduct of exams for Union government jobs, both written and oral, in Tamil and official languages of other states.

The declaration of Tamil as the official language at the Madras High Court and co-official language in Union government offices and Indian citizenship for Sri Lankan Tamils lodged in refugee camps was also promised.

CM Stalin said, “It is not only the manifesto of the DMK, but the manifesto of the people of Tamil Nadu. The party has fulfilled its poll promises after coming to power.”

He alleged, “The fascist BJP, which came to power in 2014, has destroyed the country in all aspects and failed to fulfil its poll promises.”

CM Stalin also alleged that it was not good for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to return to power at the Centre and called upon the people of the state to vote the INDIA bloc led by the DMK to power.

IANS