DMK Slams TVK Government Over Agriculture Budget, Demands All-Party Meet on Cauvery Issue

The political confrontation in Tamil Nadu intensified on Thursday after the DMK criticised the TVK government’s maiden Agriculture Budget, with Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin describing it as “absolute nothing” and accusing Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of failing to address farmers’ concerns.

DMK legislators arrived at the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly wearing black shirts as a mark of protest, alleging that the state government had failed to act on key issues, including farm loan waivers and the ongoing Cauvery-Mekedatu water dispute.

Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Udhayanidhi claimed that the Agriculture Budget merely involved renaming existing schemes instead of introducing measures to tackle the challenges faced by farmers. He alleged that the government had not fulfilled its election promise of providing a complete crop loan waiver for farmers owning up to five acres.

The DMK leader said the waiver limit, initially announced at Rs 50,000 and later increased to Rs 75,000, fell short of farmers’ expectations, who were demanding the full waiver promised during the election campaign.

Raising the interstate water dispute, Udhayanidhi accused Karnataka of refusing to release Tamil Nadu’s share of Cauvery water and criticised the state government for not convening an all-party meeting to present a united front on the issue.

“We have repeatedly demanded an all-party meeting on the Cauvery and Mekedatu issues, but the Chief Minister has remained silent,” he said.

The DMK has also submitted an adjournment motion notice to the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker seeking a discussion on the Cauvery dispute and the difficulties faced by farmers. Udhayanidhi said farmers had been protesting for months and assured that the DMK would continue to support their demands.

The opposition leader challenged the Chief Minister to address the concerns on the Assembly floor and provide clarity on the government’s plans for the agricultural sector.